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26
CHILD GUIDANCE CENTRE.
The report of Dr. Portia Holman, the Psychiatrist, is as
follows
This year is the first in which the Borough had not only a
. policy for a Child Guidance Service but also a Child Guidance
Centre. On the analysis of previous work it was decided to appoint
a full-time Educational Psychologist to the Education Committee
to help the schools with the problems of classification and of special
provision for children of less than normal promise.
In intention, and in practice, the Educational Psychologist
has seen all cases presenting any sort of problem in the schools
(or brought to the notice of school teacher or doctor), and has
been responsible for passing on those needing Child Guidance
services to the Centre.
The Educational Psychologist has seen about 450 cases of
whom she has referred about, one third to the Centre for advice and
treatment.
This accounts for a fall in the total number of cases referred to
the Child Guidance Centre this year. It will be remembered,
however, that last year 26 cases were withdrawn after referral,
and 55 were considered to be " educational " rather than Child
Guidance cases. In addition, 90 were discharged after advice from
the Psychologist to parents and school Consequently, if we compare
cases of the same type in 1945 and 1946, the figures are :
1945—127 cases ; 1946—141 cases (146 minus 5 withdrawn before
investigation). The figures are therefore of roughly the same
magnitude.
Table L Analysis of Work.
During the year 146 new cases were referred, and 17 were on
the waiting list from 1945. Of these 163 cases, 48 had not been
seen at the end of the year. Of the remaining 115, 5 were withdrawn,
27 were discussed by the team and advised by the Psychiatric
Social Worker, 6 were referred to the Educational Psychologist for
advice, or some form of remedial teaching (these 6 were referred
to the Centre before the Educational Psychologist's appointment)
and 77 were seen by the Psychiatrist, as in need of the full services
of the Centre. Of these .22 were discharged after diagnosis and
advice, 15 were put down for treatment, 8 were sent for special
medical investigations, and 19 formed the objects of special recommendations
(see Table V) for some change in their environment.
Of the cases given treatment, 13 were carried over from 1945,
and 14 were taken on in 1946. Of these 27 cases, 10 were discharged,
5 broke off treatment before we wished to close the case—in 2