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I am indebted to Dr.H.Gillespie, Consultant Psychiatrist for the following report:"COMMENTS
ON ASSESSMENT OF FIGURES
After a great deal of discussion with all the Child Guidance Clinics in Essex the
County School Medical Officer has now asked all child Guidance Clinics to submit their
returns in a new form and at the end of each quarter. The figures for Leyton are therefore
given under these revised headings. The section headed 'Source of Referral' is a
good illustration of the difficulties that beset anyone trying to summarize the kind
of work that the Child Guidance Clinics do. Owing to the gradual development of the
network of inter-relations between all the various people concerned with the mental
health of children, it is often difficult, if not positively misleading, to say who was
responsible for bringing the child's problems to the Child Guidance Clinic. For instance
the Head teacher may ask a parent to call to discuss a child's school work. From this
discussion the Educational Psychologist may be brought in, the Health Visitor, or
Probation Officer and School Medical Officer. Or alternatively, a parent may discuss
his child's difficulties with his family doctor who may then write to the Psychiatrist
at the Child Guidance Clinic or send the child to the out-patients at the hospital or
telephone the Head Teacher, with so many 'routes' to the Child Guidance Clinic who is
to say which person was the 'Source of Referral'?
TRAINING Or STUDENTS
Four students in the London School of Economics Mental Health course sent to us
for. part of their practical training 1959/1960 have since been qualified and four more
students will be supervised during this academic year.
Two students, training to be Educational Psychologists at the Tavistock Clinic did
their practical work "in the field" at our clinic. Also we had a teacher training to
work with maladjusted children at the University of London Institute of Education
attached to our clinic for practical work for a year.
Lea Bridge Day School for Maladjusteds continues to extend the work of the Child
Guidance Clinic in a new field. Close links between teachers, Educational Psychologists,
and Psychiatric Social Workers have been established. Psychiatric sessions were started
at the school for the purpose of giving support to the school staff but had to be
interrupted on account of administrative difficulties. There are 31 children on the
school roll, of whom 30 were placed there on recommendation of the psychiatrists at
this clinic. Nine of these children are from the part of the Forest Division which is
served by this clinic. The Psychiatric Social Workers continue to attend case conferences
with the school staff, when their work with the parents is discussed.
ACTIVITIES OF STAFF OUTSIDE THE CLINIC
One discussion group for Health Visitors in Leyton continues, participants numbering
68. The other one, originally taken by Miss Court will restart as soon as the newly
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