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55
Case discussions have also been held with Head Teachers and
the Child Guidance Centre.
Treatment has ranged over children from 2½ years to 16 years,
those under 5 years being treated indirectly in play groups. The play
groups have been in existence long enough to prove their usefulness
in preparing emotionally disturbed or speech-retarded children for
school. As a result of this period of adjustment, they take their
place in school life without giving anxiety to the teacher and shock
to themselves.
EALING CHILD GUIDANCE CENTRE.
Dr. Holman reports:
"In 1951 209 new cases were referred to the Child Guidance
Centre, 31 more than were referred in 1950. Rather fewer were
withdrawn before investigation and fewer were investigated by
the Psychiatric Social Worker. The Psychiatrist found it possible
only with considerable effort to see the same number of new cases
as in the previous year, consequently, whereas the waiting list
for interview at the Centre was 50 at the beginning of 1951, it
had risen to 74 by the end.
Of the new cases seen at the Centre, 90 were recommended
for treatment, as against 73 in 1950. Rather fewer cases were
carried over to the treatment list from 1950 and rather more
were taken on for treatment in the current year. Consequently
the number on the waiting list for treatment in 1952 was 18, the
same as at the beginning of 1951. This was in spite of the fact
that the Child Psycho-Therapist, Dr. Carey, had seven weeks' sick
leave and we had a locum to replace only part of the time thus lost.
It can be hoped, therefore, that in a normal year a few more cases
could be taken on for treatment, but it is clear that we are very
nearly reaching the limits of what the present staff can do.
In the report for 1951 we have made a few changes in the
presentation of the statistics in the hope of making the information
clearer. It is impossible to translate all the work that is done in
the Clinic into statistical form. The figures given refer only to the
individual cases seen in the Clinic. They are an attempt to classify
the various types of help that can and have been given to them,
but do not give an adequate account of the amount of time that
this may take or of the many general activities undertaken by
members of the Clinic staff in preventive and educational work.
We have tried to change the classification of Table III (Table
of Symptoms). As was pointed out last year, we have been
using a classification that was introduced many years ago and is
in many ways unsatisfactory. We believe that we now have a