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61
of urgency. Either their families or their schools find them
quite intolerable, or we are informed by some reliable agency
(N.S.P.C.C. Children's Department, Head Teacher, etc.) that the
home is quite intolerable for the child. We are faced with two
difficulties: (1) that of finding a school suitable to the child's
age, intelligence and degree of disturbance; (2) that of obtaining a
vacancy. The procedure of ascertainment inevitably takes some
time. However urgent the need may be, it is nearly always possible
for child and parent to accept some period of waiting, provided
it is short; and above all, provided it is finite. What has been
so disturbing, not only in 1950 but in previous years, has been the
length of the period of waiting, the uncertainty, and the tendency
for cases to be overlooked unless continued enquiries are made of
the local or County departments concerned. The average time
between the sending in of our recommendations on Form 2 H.P.
and the placement of a child in a special school, calculated from
55 cases sent away in 1949 and 1950, was about 4½ months (it is
not possible to be quite precise as there are two cases still waiting
after more than 18 months), but half the children had to wait six
months or longer, and 10% of them nine months or longer after
the recommendation on Form 2 H.P. has been sent off by us.
During this time it often appears as if the whole energies of the Child
Guidance Clinic were given to the problems of one family. If our
Psychiatric Social Workers were free from the unconstructive
work that seems to follow recommendations for a place in a special
school, they would have very much more time for constructive
work with the most favourable class of problem.
Staff and Premises.
The staff of the Ealing Child Guidance Clinic has been increased
in 1950, first by the appointment of Mrs. Carey as full-time
Psycho-therapist; secondly, by the appointment of Miss Hitchfield
as second Educational Psychologist. It will be obvious from what
has been said above that we can use the services of these workers
to the full.
Clerical Staff.
We have repeatedly put forward our need for further help
on the clerical side. It is not necessary to repeat the arguments
here, but experience has shown that two workers in the office are
indispensable if telephone and door are to be attended to while
typing and secretarial work are done. As we have not a second
clerk, one of the Psychiatric Social Workers or another member
of the staff frequently has to act as second clerk, and this is a
further waste of time and skill which should not be afforded while
we have such a waiting list.