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72
An additional Educational Psychologist, Mr. Azam, has
also Joined the staff and Mr. Fletcher, P.S.W. has replaced
Mrs. McCowen who left last November to have a baby. We very
much welcome all the new members of staff.
Our responsibility to the maladjusted day classes continues
and it is hoped to give more regular consultative time to the
problems of the children in this group. At present these classes
cater for a number of severely disturbed children who might
otherwise require to be in a residential setting e.g. hospital or
boarding school, where places are in any case very difficult
to find for such children. There is also the advantage that
while children continue to live at home, their families are
aware of their children's growing adjustment and are able to
participate in it.
Nevertheless a small number of children are still placed in
boarding school and residential psychiatric units each year
and we make a point of remaining in close contact with the
families after the children have gone away and with those
responsible for them in residence, including visits to such
institutions by staff members periodically.
Conferences continue to be an essential feature of Clinic
activity. As well as promoting team work it enables outside
social workers etc., who are concerned with the families to
come and share in discussion and they are also of value to
students working in the Clinic. Provision for students has
been a regular feature of the Clinic work and requests for this
seem to be now increasing.
Whilst these place some demand on the extended staff It is
of value to the Clinic as well as to the social services of the
country, to provide such a service. Outside visitors from other
social services e.g. probation officers and school medical
officers also child care officers are welcome to come and see
something of the work that is going on.
As always we are very much indebted to the continued
support received from the Health and Education Departments.
School
Psychological
Service
For the year's work during 1967 Miss S. V. Gascoyne, Miss
C. H. Watt and Mr. R. Azam, Educational Psychologists,
report as follows:—
In July Mr. Azam joined the psychological team so that
it is now up to full strength. This was a very welcome addition
both for the Child Guidance Clinic and the School
Psychological Service as it brings the establishment very
close to the recommended ratio of one psychologist to 10,000
school-age children recommended by the Underwood report.