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24
DAY CARE OF CHILDREN
The Council's seven day nurseries have places for 379 children, mainly
children of unsupported mothers and those admitted on special health reasons.
The rules for admission to day nurseries laid down by the former London
County Council were modified in some minor aspects by the Health Committee
in November.
Work on a new day nursery to replace the one occupying a former Tennis
Club Pavilion in Holmleigh Road commenced in November 1968 and was still in
process at the end- of the year.
Playgroups
In the early 1950s, the former London County Council opened creches for
the occasional minding of children under the age of 5 years while the mother
attended a hospital appointment, a clinic, or for the occasion when the mother
had some domestic duty to attend to. The then Minister of Health required
that the service should be self supporting and consequently it was necessary
to impose a charge in certain cases. With the growing interest in Playgroups,
many of which have been set up by Voluntary Bodies, it became necessary to
review the policy on a national basis. The Department of Health and Social
Security approved the Council's scheme to open additional Playgroups which had
been officially termed Nursery Groups. Accordingly the Council decided to
re-name its "occasional creches" as nursery groups and to make no charge for
attendance.
In addition to the three nursery groups already run as crfeches at three
Child Health Centres, two further groups were opened during the year. Both
are situated in Community Halls, one on the George Downing Estate, N.16, and
the other at Hawksley Court, N.16. A further nursery group is due to open at
Florence Court, E.5, early in 1970. At the end of the year there were also
nine privately run nursery groups providing 177 places.
Arrangements are made for staff working at the Health Department's
nursery groups to have a brief period of training in one of the Council's Day
Nurseries.
A therapeutic nursery group is held weekly at the Queen Elizabeth
Hospital under the auspices of two Consultant Psychiatrists. Children with
emotional problems, often selected from Child Guidance Clinics attend for
varying periods. They are under the close observation of the Psychiatrist
and Psychiatric Social Worker. During the year opportunities were extended
to Departmental Medical Officers to attend for observation. This proved
interesting and was ereatlv annreciated.

A meeting of all those concerned in Hackney with the provision of nursery
groups was held in June when it was agreed to set up a working party to help
to co-ordinate the various departments and organisations involved and to try
to plan the location of further nursery groups. There can be no doubt of the
pressing need in the borough for more provision but it has become clear that
the factor most likely to limit the starting of more groups is the shortage of
suitable people to lead them and to maintain continuity.