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Woman s Realm
PROBLEM CHILDREN.
Visitor Describes American
Clinics.
"I feel that considerable advantage could
be derived by those working in the
social service field--both in America and
in the newer countries where the work is
in the pioneering stages-if more fre
quent communication between workers
took place," said Mrs. H. G. Wathen, of
New York, who with her husband dis
embarked from the Ceramic on Saturday
for a few days' stay in Perth. Before
her marriage a short time ago, Mrs.
Wathen was a
Mrs. H. GC W bhen. Help
Mrs. H. GC W bhen.
worker in a clinic
for problem child
ren in New York
and is most inter
ested in psychiatry
and mental
hygiene. Mr. and
Mrs. Wathen are
in the course of a
world tour, Mr.
Wathen being an
exporter of toys
and a representa
tive of 20 of the,
largest toy fac
tories in the United
States: With nver a :
million children altogether inl New York,
there was plenty of scope for the social
worker interested in delinquent, feeble
minded or retarded children, Mrs. Wathen
said. New York was divided into five
boroughs or divisions which had at least
one clinic, and in some cases two. They
had been started about six years ago and
hail made amazing progress. The work
was carried on under the supervision of
the Education Department, the children
being referred to the clinic by the schools.
Staff at Clinics.
The staff at the clinics included social
workers, a psychologist, a pediatrician or
doctor specialising in child health and a
psychiatrist. When a child was referred
to the clinic, Mrs. Wathen said that it
underwent a four-fold observation test.
It was the duty of the social worker to
obtain the child's whole social history,
health record, home conditions, and
school or any other environment it might
have had. A psychological examination
was made next and an intelligence quo
tient obtained which gave an insight into
the innate mentality and capabilities of
the child. Then, in addition to a physi
cal examination, the child was submitted
to a psychiatric study, whereby light was
thrown on the emotional side of the
child's life and its attitude revealed to
wards the community, its family and it
self.
When all investigations had been com
pleted, a conference was called and re
commendations made and carried out.
Often, only some slight adjustment was
found to be necessary, the parents not
understanding the child and treating it
in the wrong way. Sometimes a. child
was found to be too bright for its. -class
and advancement was all that wis neces
sary to right the case.
S Tralinghy
The training of the staff of the clinic
was a special post graduate course after
college or university and took from two
to three years. During this study period,
a student was given an understanding of
the use of jsychology, training in the
methods of social work, history taking
and interviewing, and a general compre
hensive course in medicine which helped
them to recognise symptoms of mental
diseases.
Mrs. Wathen said that. considerable
progress had been made in this field in
South - Africa. The racial problem there
made the work more difficult, she said.
During her stay she was able to visit an
opportunity school for maladjusted child
ren in Durban, vocational classes for re
tarded boys in Johannesburg and a child
guidance clinic in Cape Town.
"It is intensely interesting work for
those interested in psychology," Mrm.
Wathen said. "Every case is different and
has to be tackled in a new way. I. ould
never, in any stretch of the imagination,
be bored when studying child prob
lems."
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