View report page

20
In addition there is now an establishment for nine
play therapy sessions. So far only seven of these have
been worked, five by Miss Helen Carr and two by
Miss F.R. Salzberger, who joined the clinic staff in
August in place of Miss P. Low Beer, who left in
October. We hope to find a suitable play therapist in
the near future to take on the remaining sessions.
General Comments:
Comparison of the figures for 1959 with those for
1958 show few significant changes. There have, however,
been a considerable increase in the number of treatment
interviews, both by the psychiatrists and the play
therapists, in the Leyton and Forest areas. This can be
attributed to fuller staffing, and is a matter for
satisfaction.
The number of cases referred and diagnosed at the
clinic remains much the same as last year. In the Forest
area there has been a slight fall in the number of cases
referred (from 82 to 71) probably owing to the opening
of the Harlow Clinic, but this does not seem to have made
any marked difference to the pressure on our own clinic.
Referral of pre-school children.
I would again like to stress the need for early
reference to the clinic of pre school children
Activities of the Staff outside the Clinic:
Discussion groups for Health Visitors were started
in October by our Psychiatric Social Workers, Miss
Lacquer and Miss Court, and are held fortnightly at this
clinic for Health Visitors in the Leyton area. These
promise to be of value for the promotion of mental
health in a wider area than that covered by our direct
clinical activities. In these groups the Health
Visitors discuss problems they meet in their work at
the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics and in their
visiting areas.
Other groups were also started in December for the
Medical Staff and Health Visitors attached to the
Infant and Maternity Welfare Services in Walthamstow,
and are held by Dr Gillespie and Dr. Hoffman
fortnightly. Children showing difficulties in their
development which present problems to their mothers
are discussed from the point of view of causation and