View report page

between the time a case is referred and the initial psychiatric interview.
Staffing
383 psychiatric sessions were held during the year and the total
number of cases seen during this time was 1,240. This represents
about 3.3 cases per session, but it will be realised that the psychiatric
treatment of children entails interviews for parents and outside social
workers, as well as administration and discussion with Clinic
colleagues. There is an establishment in the Clinic for two whole-time
Psychiatric Social Workers, but unfortunately we have had but one
only during 1960, and this has thrown a greater load of work on the
psychiatrists.
Psycho-therapy is a time-consuming procedure and it is obvious
that every case referred cannot, nor does it need to be, treated in this
way. In this respect the establishment permits one whole-time nonmedical
psycho-therapist but here we have been under strength for a
greater part of the year, thus a great deal of psychiatric time is spent in
counselling parents and attempting to resolve unhappy marital relationships,
vhich are an important factor in children's problems. Other
adjustments to the child's environment such as in school or home do
help to reduce those stresses which produce unhappy, anxious or
behaviour disordered children.
Remedial teaching has been of considerable help and this is on
some occasions carried out by the Educational Psychologist, or by one
of the two lady remedial teachers, whose services we fortunately have.
This procedure is of much greater importance than merely teaching a
child, as when done by specialists it will go far to reverse a child's
unhappy attitude towards education.
Court Cases
28 court cases were seen and reports prepared for the Magistrate.
In these boys predominate strongly, and where girls are brought
before the Magistrate the problem is usually one in the sexual sphere,
whereas those of boys are predominantly offences against property.
Court cases are given absolute priority and, quite often, this means
extending the waiting period for other cases.
There has been a significant increase in the number of school
refusal cases. These are suitably divided into school phobia and
truanting. Truanting is usually associated with a rebellious and hostile
attitude towards parents and is frequently associated with delinquency.
School phobia is a condition in which there is extreme dependence on
Page 37