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48
The Day Nursery.
The Fulham Day Nursery is situated at Eridge
House, Fulham Park Road, S.W. 6, and is under the
control of a Voluntary Committee. The Council
makes a grant of £626 per annum to the Day Nursery,
in addition to providing the services of myself as
Medical Officer.
The Day Nursery was established to meet the
needs of mothers who are under the necessity of going
out to work and who have no suitable person with
whom to leave their children. Children can be left
for whole or half days, and it means much to these
mothers to know that their children are being well
looked after and fed, in many cases, in a manner
which would be impossible in their own homes.
Children are admitted from the ages of six weeks to
live years and a small daily payment is required.
The Health Visitors visit the homes of children for
whom application has been made to enter the Nursery.
Their reports are of great value to the Matron.
Mothers are in all cases encouraged to come to the
Nursery at mid-day for breast feeding, where this is in
progress ; and this is insisted on where possible, unless
the mother's work is too far away to allow of her having
a proper meal in the middle of the day in addition to
going to the Day Nursery. It is never pressed where
it would mean unnecessary hurry for the mother at
mid-day and the possible sacrifice of a good mid-day
meal. All the feeding of infants in the Nursery is done
on the principle of the nearest possible approximation
to breast standard milk, and an open air regime is
strictly enforced.
The attendances during 1931 show a slight increase
over those for 1930 and were as follows:—
Individual children attended:—
Under three years of age 92
Over three years of age and under five
years of age 24