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23
Day Nurseries.—The Council's eight day nurseries, providing
accommodation for 415 children under the age of 5 years, continued
to function throughout the year. The total number of
attendances made by the children during the year was 86,100.
Throughout the year a considerable number of children were
awaiting admission to the nurseries and at the end of the year the
waiting list contained 520 names.
Arising from the issue by the Ministry of Health of Circular
221/45, dated 14th December, it was decided that the Council
should continue the administration of the eight day nurseries which
had been established as a war-time measure, since the County
Council are unable under present circumstances to provide nursery
schools in the Borough. As from 1st April, 1948, welfare authorities
controlling day nurseries receive an exchequer grant of
approximately 46 per cent, of the approved nett expenditure, in
place of the original arrangement under which such expenditure was
reimbursed in full.
The health of the children attending the nurseries has remained
very good during the year, there being only a few cases of minor
infectious illness.
The staffing position remained fairly acute, the shortage being
somewhat accentuated by the need to send nursery students to
Polytechnics on two days each week for a period of two years to
receive theoretical training for the new National Nursery Nurses'
Certificate.
Meetings of the Nursery Parents' Associations, instituted in all
nurseries, continued throughout the year and proved very useful
both to the parents and staff.
Many visits have been paid to the nurseries by persons interested
in child welfare, many of these visitors coming from overseas.
A film of approximately 1,400 feet, taking one hour to show,
depicting the activities of the children in the Borough Council's
nurseries, was completed during the year.
The film has been shown to members of the Maternity and Child
Welfare and Public Health Committees, and has been loaned for
display to:—