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children who do not seem to derive full benefit from the ordinary school curriculum,
or to respond to ordinary methods of discipline. Children of any age and young
persons up to the age of 21 years are accepted for treatment subject to the consent,
and a reasonable probability of co-operation on the part of the parents. All children
are seen by appointment. There is, therefore, no waste of time and no waiting.
The staff of the clinic consists of two doctors, two educational advisers (with
teaching experience), six social workers, a part-time speech training specialist, a
secretary, and clerical assistants.
Children are usually seen between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., but the clinic
remains open until 9 p.m. on one evening a week for the convenience of young persons
who are at work. The parents of a child are in the first instance always seen by a
doctor, who, after having talked matters over with them, interviews the child, usually
in their presence. He then advises as to the lines treatment will take. In simple
cases advice is given at once. Except for the presence of the parent, all examinations
are strictly private, no visitors of any kind being admitted, and no form of demonstration
at any time being carried out on the patients, even for teaching purposes.
A medical examination is carried out in almost every case; and older children
are examined by a doctor of the same sex. If deemed necessary, a further examination
is made by the psychologist, with a view to discovering the development of the
child's intelligence, and his educational possibilities. Information concerning the
child's behaviour is obtained by the social worker, who visits the school and the home.
She can also, on her visits, convey the doctor's advice to the parents, and so obviate
the necessity for his visiting the clinic so frequently as would otherwise be necessary.
No physical treatment is given. If such is deemed necessary, the child is referred
to the school medical officer, or to a suitable hospital or clinic for the purpose of
obtaining it. Sometimes a period of convalescence or of residence in a school is
advised, and arrangements are made for this through the Council.
Where an educational difficulty is present, the psychologists are often able to
point out the cause, and to suggest modifications of the school curriculum. Special
individual tuition to children who suffer from some specific difficulty in learning
is also given, but only with the assent of the teacher. As a general rule, teachers have
co-operated wholeheartedly and have frequently expressed satisfaction at the
results achieved. In many cases children have been helped over school difficulties
which were the underlying cause of their behaviour disturbances.
A speech-training class is held twice a week for the treatment of stammer and
other speech defects, and the results obtained have been very promising. In many
instances the disorder of speech was accompanied by other nervous symptoms,
and since treatment for these can be given in the other departments of the clinic,
satisfactory results have been obtained in cases which have not derived benefit from
speech training alone.
There is an excellent play hut in the garden of the clinic. Play groups are
arranged where shy children, or children who have no facilities at home, may play
together. This affords great pleasure to the children, gives them opportunity for
self-expression, and enables general observation to be made of that type of behaviour.
Those of school age come on Saturday mornings, and the younger ones on week-days.
A part of the garden is left in a rough state and when the weather is suitable, is used
as a playground. The play room and the play group have proved exceedingly popular,
and increasing advantage is being taken of them. Children can be taught the use of
play material, and their social adjustment can be improved. There is also a small
library from which suitable books are lent to the children.
A larger proportion of the problems arise in the home life of the child, and not
in the school. Adjustment is easier for the child in the school than it is in the home ;
conditions in school being well calculated to suit even unusual children, whereas in
the post-war period of stress, many homes are not so.
Parents as a general rule have shown themselves to be much interested in the
work of the clinic, and have co-operated willingly. Care is always taken to give