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because, for example, the parents may be sick or there may be
only one parent, who is the sole breadwinner. By family
grouping in the nurseries it is possible to ameliorate in some
measure the effects of deprivation of a full home life.
Both nurseries are training nurseries and the Council pays
for student training to the level of the N.N.E.B. (National
Nursery Examination Board). We have been very impressed by
the high standard of girls applying to be employed as student
nursery nurses.
Details of attendances at the nursery are shown in Appendix
11.
Private Day
Nurseries and
Child - Minders
Mention must be made here of the activities of the department
under the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act,
1948. There is a flourishing industry of child minding in
Redbridge, a result of full employment and ample opportunities
for mothers to work. It is fair, I think, to call it an industry
because very few people are sufficiently altruistic to go on
minding other people's children without adequate recompense.
At the end of the year 33 day nurseries and 19 childminders
were registered under the Act for the care of 1,559
children. A number of these children were registered in
mother's co-operative play groups, but the majority were being
after for reward and at a low estimate the total reward is
somewhere between £100,000 and £150,000 per year.
It is the task of this department to see that children are
being looked after properly and a great deal of supervision is
carried out. It is necessary to ensure that premises are adequate
and properly equipped, that the persons looking after the
children are suitable in all respects, that the children are
properly fed and that they are happy and occupied.
To these ends regular visits are made by health visitors,
medical examinations are carried out by medical officers and
periodic checks on the sanitary circumstances are made by
public health inspectors. These visits are largely unannounced,
as are those by a senior medical member of this department.
Child-minders and day nursery proprietors are required to have
annual chest X-rays, and among other conditions, to report
promptly on the sickness of or accident to a child. Arrangements
are made for any child-minder who wishes to spend some
time observing activities at a Council day nursery to do so.