[Report 1933] / Medical Officer of Health, Plymouth Borough.

  • Plymouth (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1933
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1933] / Medical Officer of Health, Plymouth Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    204/204 (page 176)
    CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC. This Clinic which, at present, has no connection with the Education Authority was recently started in Plymouth. Dr. Hunter the physician in charge, has kindly supplied the following report :— The last quarter of 1933 saw the opening in Plymouth of a Child Guidance Clinic which is organized and supported by the Plymouth Public Dispensary. This clinic is for the treatment of behaviour disorders in children. There are some dozen such clinics in this country at present, but this is the first of its kind west of Bristol. During the first three months twenty children were referred to the clinic, their ages ranging from 2 to 15J. Of these, 7 were referred by teachers or the School Medical Officer, 6 by medical practitioners, 3 by the infant welfare department, 2 by the probation officer, 2 by private persons. The number of interviews at the clinic was 44 (2.2 per patient) and of home visits by the social workers 51 (2.5 per patient). The complaints investigated included truancy, backwardness, eneuresis, hysterical manifesta¬ tions and gross anti-social behaviour. The clinic has been working for too short a time to show' much in the way of results, as the majority of cases are still under treatment. In four cases, however, there has been a complete loss of symptoms, and in many others a marked improvement. The staff of the clinic is constituted as follows :— An Hon. Physician in Charge. An Hon. Social Worker. An Hon. Assistant Social Worker and Secretary. The clinic is held on Tuesday and Friday mornings at the Public Dispensary in Catherine Street.. Cases are seen by appoint¬ ment as far as possible, and appointment cards will be sent to prospective patients on application to the Secretary, The Child Guidance Clinic, The Public Dispensary, Catherine Street, Plymouth.