London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1958

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Child
guidance
In London child guidance facilities, at over 30 clinics, are provided mainly by
hospitals, although there are also some voluntary and local authority clinics.
Early in 1958 the Council opened a new child guidance unit at Peckham, bringing
the number of directly provided units up to five. The work done at these units during
the year is summarised in the following table:

Table (iv)

BatterseaBrixtonEarls CourtWood-berry DownPeckhamTotal
No. of applications received124175108225127759
No. awaiting first interview at 31st December2344283727159
No. interviewed and awaiting treatment1171016953
Number of patients
In treatment at 1st January5514044162401
New cases treated691468116570531
Total12428612532770932
In treatment at 31st December481237623836511
Discharged76163499934421
No. of home visits by staff10922118*9168
No. of school visits by staff8422706348287

* Includes visits by students
All the child guidance units administered by the Council maintain close liaison
with local schools and child welfare centres. The Tavistock Clinic and the Child
Guidance Training Centre administered by the North West Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board have also developed special schemes for co-operation with local schools.
Day special
classes
In addition to the full time provision indicated in Table (iii), page 112, part-time
special educational treatment is provided at 19 day special classes for 312 maladjusted
pupils.
A third day school for the maladjusted, the North Croft School at Hammersmith,
was opened in 1958.
Severely
disturbed
children
One problem which caused concern throughout the year was the difficulty in securing
in-patient treatment for severely disturbed children. The National Association for
Mental Health continued its efforts to find a solution to this problem and the Council
made strong representations to the hospital authorities concerned.
114