View report page

When Dr. Runes joined tha staff in October 1957. undertaking four sessions weekly,
he went to work with such good effect that by the end of the year the waiting list was
manageable and arrears of psychiatric work accounted for. By the end of the year also,
Miss Sykes, an experienced Psychiatric Social Worker, in sympathy with the developmental
trends of the clinic towards co-ordinated family case work and towards emphasis of
preventive aspects of Child Guidance work, had accepted the vacant position Of Psychiatric
Social Worker in the clinic team.
The statistical summary shows increases in the number of new referrals and in the
total number of cases dealt with in comparison with the corresponding figures for the
previous year. The number of cases closed varied little and there was a falling off in
the number of psychiatric and psychological interviews at the clinic. The Educational
Psychologist, Mrs. Nathan, continued to share her time between schools and clinic. Under
her direction and supervision, Mr.Shepherd joined Miss Marshall in remedial coaching work
on the clinic premises with the result that many more cases needing this special help were
dealt with under the best conditions. The extent to which emotional factors may Impede
the learning process is not always easy to gauge, especially when other and more obvious
factors are present. For this reason it is valuable for the Educational Psychologist to
have ready access to the Psychiatrist and Psychiatric Social Worker at all stages in the
management of some of the more difficult educational problems for whom remedial coaching
has been recommended.
A glance at the sources of referral column shows that the clinic is in a healthy
state in that it is being used by all the agencies concerned with children. The Increase
in general practitioner, hospital, and maternity and child welfare referrals is a
particularly welcome indication that the clinic has the confidence of the agencies it
serves.
Despite the considerable loss of psychiatric time involved in the changes of
psychiatrist staff, the clinic managed to keep abreast of its commitments during the
year and to provide an adequate if rather condensed service for schools, hospitals,
other local health departments and family doctors. Towards the end of the year, Dr.
Whatley's work was beginning to make itself felt in the greater reciprocity and
improved relationship that was developing between the Child Guidance Clinic and its
relevant contacts in the borough. No doubt, this valuable work will expand and be
associated with similar integrative developments involving other departments. The
ultimate goal is a comprehensive Community Mental Health Service which will provide
a high standard of care and real programme of preventive Mental Health.
At this stage it may be salutary to reflect that in comparison with the treatment
of physical ailments, the treatment of emotional and behaviour disorders is slow and
often apparently unrewarding to the worker in the field unless he can keep in mind the
natural history of mental illness and be content to look to the next generation for
the full fruit of his labours.
111