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Child Guidance.
The Council as local education authority does not undertake, as part of its social
activities, any direct responsibility in connection with the work of child guidance,
nor is any public money expended by the Education Committee in subsidising this
work. The Council has, however, as part of the functions of the mental hospitals
service, arranged a clinic at the Maudsley hospital, Denmark-hill, where school
children, amongst others, receive psychotherapy. The bulk of the work connected
with child guidance in London is, however, undertaken by various voluntary
hospitals and associations.
The Council allows the use of the school organisation in connection with the
work generally, and at three of the clinics the attendances of children are allowed
to be counted as attendances at school. These three clinics are the London child
guidance clinic, 1 Canonbury-place, N.l, the East London clinic, Jews' Free School,
Spitalfields, E.l, and the Maudsley hospital clinic, Denmark-hill, S.E.5. From a
survey of the reports submitted by the authorities of the clinics it appears that
useful work is being undertaken in helping those difficult school cases which had in the
past caused great anxiety owing to a lack of facilities for psychotherapeutic advice.
London
child
guidance
clinic.
The work at the London child guidance clinic has continued during the year
under the direction of Dr. William Moodie, who has supplied the following information
as to the activities of the clinic. During 1933 there were 155 children from Council
schools referred to the clinic, of whom 103 were boys and 52 girls. The maximum
age incidence in boys was between 10 and 13 years, and in girls, between 9 and 1C
years.
The three main types of service given were (a) prolonged and intensive treatment
directed to more than one aspect of the case, for instance psychiatric treatment of
the child and social work in the home, special tuition together with psychiatric
treatment, and so on; (6) treatment directed on one aspect only, such as psychiatry,
tuition, or modification of the child's surroundings ; and (c) direct advice with, on
occasion, treatment of a lesser type.
Close co-operation has been maintained with school care committees and head
teachers, both in regard to the provision of useful information and recommendations
for treatment. Frequent visits have been paid by teachers to the clinic to discuss
the problems of individual pupils.
Play groups have been greatly developed throughout the year. Their purpose
is fourfold, the groups being designed (1) for observation pending diagnosis; (2)
for preparation for school (pre-school play group); (3) for purposes of socialisation:
and (4) to give opportunities for achievement in play, thus fostering a better attitude
to work. The use of individual play as a direct psychotherapeutic method was
increasingly practised, and its value was clearly apparent in many cases.