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Tetherdown is nearing completion. The remaining part of the building
will be dealt with later. I hope, therefore, to be able to
report next year that a Child Guidance Centre reasonably adapted for
its use exists for the first time in this Borough.
Mr. Walbridge was dealing with 221 referrals to the Child
Guidance Centre of which 75 were seen by me. The majority of
these cases reached us again through head teachers (25) and assistant
medical officers (23). Direct approach to the clinic was made by
14 parents, and general practitioners referred eight cases. Three
cases came through the Juvenile Court and two from hospitals.
Twenty cases had to be removed from the waiting list because of
not replying to offers of appointment or refusing to attend.
Analysis of the age groups referred showed a range from three
years to seventeen years with peaks at six years and twelve years.
Pre-school children referred formed 16% of the total. The number
of Child Guidance sessions held during the year was 73 and a total
of 128 new and old patients attended. The waiting list at the end
of the year amounted to 23 cases.
The analysis of diagnostic entities of Child Guidance referrals
based on my classification, which has been acknowledged by the Ministry
of Education, showed again that behaviour problems due to environmental
factors (including parental problems and maternal deprivation) easily
top the list, while school phobia remains in second position with
Emotional Crisis of Adolescence a close third. Chronic Anxiety
States and referrals due to bedwetting were quite numerous. Specific
sexual problems and more serious psychotic disturbances were again
very infrequent".
Dr. Nina Meyer, Consultant Child Psychiatrist at the Tottenham
Child Guidance Centre, reports:-
"The work of the clinics has this year extended for beyond
what it has been in previous years. Referrals have increased from
92 in 1961 to 150 this year. This is largely due to the greater
contract maintained with auxiliary child workers, such as child care
workers, health visitors, and probation officers. General practitioners
are using the service to a greater degree, and we have even had
parents coming on their own initiative for help; this indicates that
the clinic is becoming recognised as an essential part of the community
services.
The increase in its usefulness owes much to the enthusiasm of
the staff, which has resulted in many home visits by the psychiatric
social worker, innumerable contacts by telephone, visiting to the clinic,
and conference with auxiliary child workers. All this, of course,
entails greatly added work, but its results have been its potential
reward.
It is very regrettable that Dr. Craike, Senior Consultant
Psychiatrist, resigned in October, he has been much missed. The
vacancy has not yet been filled, but it is hoped that a new appointment
will be made very shortly. We are also hoping to increase the
number of psychiatric social workers, and this, in turn, will entail
larger premises.
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