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46
III. Work and Organisation of the Centre.
(1) Staff.
Only two changes occurred in staffing arrangements. (1) The
six psychiatric sessions have become permanent. (2) Miss
Hitchfield, Educational Psychologist, we are proud to say, was
awarded a British Memorial Fellowship for a year's study in
Australia and was with us only till the end of January. We were
most fortunate in being able to replace her by Miss Sylvia Gascoyne,
who began work on February 1st. We are most grateful to her for
her help.
During the year it was agreed that the North West Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Board should appoint a Registrar
(trainee Child Psychiatrist) for five sessions a week. The post was
advertised in July, but was not then filled. By the end of the year
Dr. Cecile Doniger had been appointed to undertake four sessions
a week in 1955 and we look forward to the help that this will give
us in providing more treatment.
(2) Work in Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics.
One item which shows a great increase is the work of the
Psychiatric Social Workers in the Maternity and Child Welfare
Clinics. Miss Chaloner has visited the Northolt Clinic fortnightly
and, since June, Miss Price has made regular visits to Mattock Lane.
Both Psychiatric Social Workers report that they find the
direct contact with the Health Visitors of great value and each
would like to express her thanks to the Medical Officers in charge.
IV. Problems referred to the Clinic and dealt with in 1954
(1) Symptoms in 1954.
As usual, children " difficult to manage " at home head the
list. This year a large number of children with fears, anxiety,
solitariness and depression have been referred to us and we welcome
the increased emphasis on problems of this sort. These children are
often extremely unhappy and mentally ill but do not draw attention
to themselves. They can usually be helped by psychotherapy and
their need is at least as great as that of the children who cannot be
ignored.
(2) Age and Intelligence.
The level of intelligence of the children referred to us is higher
than last year ; the number from Grammar Schools has gone up
slightly, though it still seems likely that there are Grammar School
children in need of help who are not referred to us. Grammar
School children tend to be sent far too late, and there are few who
have not shown signs of their trouble much earlier. Problems that
might be successfully dealt with in the first or second year become
virtually insoluble by the time a boy or girl is fifteen.