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73
A very happy and promising development was the monthly attendance at the Child
Guidance Clinic of school medical officers. They joined individually the psychiatrist
in his diagnostic session and took part in the Case Conference. They have expressed
their appreciation of the value of this contact, and we in turn learned much from
their presence.
Child Guidance reaches out from the profession to the community, particularly to
teachers and parents. Explanations of the purpose and function of the service to
laymen or colleagues in related disciplines, forms part of our work. During the year
the educational psycholoeist has given talks to groups of young wives, to two training
colleges for teachers, and to medical officers attending a course for the D.P H. The
child psychiatrist conducted courses under the auspices of the Extra-Mural Department
of the London University which were attended by many trainees and active workers in the
field of Mental Health, and he read during the summer papers relating to his speciality
at International Medical Congresses in Rome and Paris.
Hie internal reconstruction of the Child Guidance Centre at Tetherdown is nearing
completion. The remaining part of the building will be dealt with later. I hope,
therefore, to be able to report next year that a Child Guidance Centre reasonably
adapted for its use exists for the first time in this Borough.
Mr. Walbridge was dealingwith 221 referrals to the Child Guidance Centre of which
75 were seen by me. The majority of these cases reached us again through head
teachers (25) and assistant medical officers (23). Direct approach to the clinic was
made a; 14 parents, and general practitioners referred eight cases. Three cases came
through the Juvenile Court and two from hospitals. Twenty cases had to be removed
from the waiting list because of not replying to offers of appointment or refusing to
attend.
Analysis of the age groups referred showed a range from three years to seventeen
years with peaks at six years and twelve years* Pre school children referred formed
16% of the total. The number of Child Guidance sessions held during the year was 73
and a total of 128 new and old patients attended,, The waiting list at the end of the
year amounted to 23 cases.
The analysis of diagnostic entities of Child Guidance referrals based on my
classification, which has been acknowledged by the Ministry of Education, showed again
that behaviour problems due to environmental factors (including parental problems and
maternal deprivation) easily top the list, while school phobia remains in second
position with Emotional Crisis of Adolescence a close third. Chronic Anxiety States
and referrals due to bedwetting were quite numerous. Specific sexual problems and
more serious pyschotic disturbances were again very infrequent".
Dr. Nina Meyer, Consultant Child Psychiatrist at the Tottenham Child Guidance
Centre, reports;-
"The work of the clinics has this year extended far beyond what it has been in
previous years. Referrals have increased from 92 in 1961 to 150 this year. This is
largely due to the greater contact maintained with auxiliary child workers, such as
child care workers, health visitors, and probation officers. General practitioners
are using the service to a greater degree, and we have even had parents coming on
their own initiative for help} this indicates that the clinic is becoming recognised
as an essential part of the community services.