Central Association for Mental Welfare
News and Notes
The C.A.M.W. is planning to open an additional Emergency Home for defective children as soon as suitable premises can be obtained. It is hoped to provide for from 30 to 50 cases, to include a considerable proportion of ” cot and chair ” cases, and so urgent is the need for accommodation that already the majority of the vacancies have been booked.
The Social Case Work Department (comprising the Guardianship and Case Section, the work for epileptics and the Register of Foster-Homes run jointly with the Child Guidance Council) has had an exceptionally large volume of work during the past three months, chiefly due to the large number of cases which have been received through the Mental Health Emergency Committee. Of the 698 cases dealt ^ith, it is estimated that 195 applications may be said to be directly attributable to war conditions. They include not only requests for special help on behalf of individuals suffering from nervous strain due to bombing, but also applications from parents and relatives of mental defectives or of mentally unstable patients who can no longer be adequately cared for at home.
Miss Ruth Thomas, the Association’s full-time Educational Psychologist, is giving lectures to educational societies and teachers in various parts of the country on “Children’s Problems in Wartime”, the Education of Backward Children, Group Teaching, and other similar subjects. She was also loaned to the Mental Health Emergency Committee for a visit to Southampton to enquire into the possi- bilities of helping air raid victims, and for helping in Barnet to organize play groups for evacuated children. Mrs. Bathurst, part-time Educational Psychologist, visits Kettering fortnightly for psychological work amongst evacuated children as well as amongst the ordinary school population, and it is interesting to note, from her experience, the opportunities that occur for helping teachers to deal with children whose previous history is unknown to them.
Some Education Authorities are now experiencing difficulty in dealing with M.D. children owing to the fact that their Certifying Officers have been called up, and the Board of Education and the Board of Control have therefore sanctioned the holding of the usual annual Course in Mental Deficiency for medical practitioners, in co-operation with the University of London Tutorial Classes Council, if it can be arranged. Although owing to the absence of the necessary facilities for practical work it will not be possible to hold the Course in London, it has been ascertained that facilities could be provided at Oxford if the necessary number of applications are received, and a preliminary announcement is now being issued.
Child Guidance Council
Owing to the dearth of trained and experienced workers, Mrs. Hardcastle, loaned by the Council to the Mental Health Emergency Committee as Organizer, has been working in Coventry for three months to assist with mental health problems created by the recent raid. Other members of the Committee’s staff have generously under- taken to divide Mrs. Hardcastle’s duties between them, to enable this important piece of field work to be carried out.
In response to a request from the representative for Civil Defence Region 2 to the Mental Health Emergency Committee, the Council has asked Mrs. Henshaw, educational psychologist, to devote three sessions a week until March 31st, 1941, to work in Leeds where the establishment of a comprehensive psychiatric service for children and adults on lines similar to those laid down in the Report of the Feversham Committee, is in process of development. As the Council’s funds are fully employed, the Mental’ Health Emergency Committee will undertake to supply a psychiatric social worker for a limited period.
The Sunderland Child Guidance Clinic has appointed an educational psychologist to its staff, thus completing the team and qualifying for recognition by the Council as a Group I Clinic. The Clinic in the Public Health Department at Barnsley, which recently has been able to avail itself of the services of the educational psychologist employed by the Education Committee, hopes to obtain the services of a psychiatric social worker also, and thus would become a Group I Clinic. The Council has agreed to assist with the salary of the social worker appointed, if one can be found, until March 31st, 1941, by which time the Local Authority will be able to assume complete responsibility.
York Education Committee has advertised for a psychiatric social worker. This development follows on recent activity among teachers and magistrates to whom the Council was asked to supply information and literature. Plans are expected to mature shortly for some kind of child guidance service in several other areas in which mterest has been apparent for some time past. On the other hand, most of the clinics m London have been obliged to close.
As far as educational work is concerned, the Council is investigating the Possibility of introducing psychological lectures into courses for student midwives, and in January Mrs. Hardcastle lectured to a group of Midwife Teachers at their quarterly meeting. This is the result of an enquiry received from an important Gaining centre.
Efforts are also being made to introduce knowledge of the principles of child Psychology into the curricula for orthopaedic nurses and a few lectures have already been arranged at one training centre.
Cental Treatment Clinics
The National Council for Mental Hygiene has recently compiled for the Ministry ?f Health E.M.S. a Directory of Out-Patient Mental Treatment Clinics in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Data collected by the Council since the outbreak of hostilities has been carefully checked in order to bring the information up to date and the Directory therefore gives particulars of out-patient psychiatric services which are available at the present time. The names of the psychiatrists in charge have been deluded for the information of those who wish to refer cases, and the auspices under which certain clinics are functioning are also indicated, as well as particulars as to days and times of sessions.
The Directory is being issued officially by the Ministry of Health to all Neuroses Centres and to the Services, in order that these may have information on where to refer Service patients, discharged owing to nervous disabilities, for treat- ment near their homes. The Ministry of Pensions is also arranging to issue it t? hospitals under its control. Enquiries with regard to the Directory may be sent t0 the N.C.M.H., 76-77 Chandos House, Palmer Street, S.W.I.
A valuable report on case attendances at Out-Patient Clinics giving comparative figures for 1939 and 1940, has also been prepared by the National Council for Mental hygiene for the Ministry of Health E.M.S. The Report shows that although at some the clinics there has been a considerable drop since the war in the number of attendances and a few clinics have had to close (usually because of the seconding of the medical staff for service with the Forces), at the majority there has been no Appreciable decrease in the number of patients treated, in spite of evacuation, black-out ” difficulties and other unsettled conditions which have prevailed.
Mental Health Emergency Committee
The Committee has continued to allocate workers for work in connection with air raid victims suffering from mental or emotional strain as the result of bombing, or who by reason of mental deficiency, epilepsy or some other permanent disability, are in need of special treatment or billeting. Some account of this work will be found in an article published on another page. Such emergency help has been given in Bristol, Coventry, London, Manchester, Barnet and Warwickshire (for cases evacuated from other areas). The possibilities of giving help to further areas which have suffered from intensive air attack is under consideration.
In Region 10 (Lancashire, Cheshire, Westmorland and Cumberland), the Committee’s Regional Representative, Miss Martland, has continued her vigorous activities. A loan worker supplied by the Committee is working amongst evacuated children in Westmorland, and the Border Rural District of Cumberland has accepted the offer of a worker (part-time).
Miss Findlay, the Committee’s Regional Representative in the East and West Ridings, began work in the autumn and has made useful contacts with the various officials and organizations in the area, arousing considerable interest in mental health problems.
The Ministry of Health has recently agreed to consider applications from Local Authorities for grants to enable them to employ mental health workers to deal with problems arising among evacuated mothers and children, as well as amongst children who are unaccompanied, where it can be shown that a real need exists, and an increased demand for the Committee’s loan workers may therefore be expected. The following Resolution has been passed by the Committee, in connection with Hostels for Difficult Children and incorporated in its recommendations on the subject:
“The Committee wishes to put on record their opinion that where residential accommodation is provided for difficult children by central or local authorities or by voluntary organizations, it is essential that there should be adequate psychiatric supervision. It recognizes, however, that such psychiatric supervision in all Hostels may not be feasible under present circumstances, but urges that it should be secured wherever possible.”
Reprints of the article on Hostels which appeared in our last issue are now available and may be obtained from 24 Buckingham Palace Road, London, S.W.1> at the price of 4d. each, or 3s. 6d. a dozen, post free.
Lord Memorial Essay Prize Competition
This competition, which is held under the auspices of the National Council far Mental Hygiene, is open to certificated mental nurses, male and female, of the rank of staff, charge or chief charge, in the Mental Hospitals of England and Wales, and the subject chosen for the 1940 essay was, ” How can the Nurse help the Refractory Patient ? “
The Council’s Selection Committee have awarded the prize of ?4 and a medal to Sister Eileen B. Mason, of De La Pole Hospital, Willerby, consideration rhaving been given to matter, style and production, and her essay is published in this issue. The essay submitted by Staff Nurse Charles H. Howes, of Severalls Mental Hospital, Colchester, was placed second. In all, 32 essays were sent in.
The Selection Committee report : “It was interesting to note, quite apart from the personal factor in the contributions, the effect of the ‘ atmosphere ‘ of the institu- tion in which the nurse had worked. As might have been expected, two main lines of spproach were adopted, the psychiatric and the psychological. In some essays, the importance of the nurse’s own freedom from psychopathological strains was empha- sized, while in others, particular and detailed attention was called to such matters as diet, personal hygiene, opportunities for rest and relaxation, decorative colour schemes, etc. In nearly all the essays, stress was laid on the importance of the nurse’s getting to know the patient as an individual, with special reference to a study ?f his family and social life, so as to arrive at an understanding of the patient’s situation and how he had been reacting to it.”
Appointment of County Consultant Psychiatrists It is learned with pleasure that Dr W. J. T. Kimber, Medical Director of Hill End Hospital and Clinic, has recently been appointed County Consulting Psychiatrist for Hertfordshire, and that Dr Muriel Barton Hall, Joint Medical Director of the Liverpool Psychiatric Clinic, has been appointed Consulting Psychiatrist to the County Borough of Birkenhead.
Dr Kimber’s appointment will secure the co-ordination of mental health work Jn the area concerned and all problems relating to mental health will be referred to him. Dr Barton Hall’s work includes attendance at the Birkenhead Municipal Hospital or at any of the Municipal Clinics if required, the examination of patients ln connection with the Mental Treatment Act, 1930, and the Mental Deficiency Acts, 1913 to 1927, weekly visits to the mental wards at the Birkenhead Institution and ?ne out-patient clinic a week at the Municipal Hospital, together with supervision ?f the work at the Borough Occupation Centre for the low-grade mentally defective.
These two appointments, together with that for Oxford?the precursors, it is h?ped, of many others?constitute an outstanding advance in the field of mental health and a welcome recognition of the value and need of specialized services of the kind indicated.
Sottish Association for Mental Hygiene
In the Mental Deficiency Section, there has been little change to report. In those areas in which Occupation Centres have had to be closed, every effort is being made to keep in touch with their pupils by means of home visitation and home training. The Social Club for M.D. lads boarded out on farms and crofts, in the ^orth Argyll area, has been resumed this winter.
The Mental Health Section has organized lectures on the psychological aspects of air raids for A.R.P. Wardens and other voluntary workers and for the general public. Miss McCallum is now Hon. Secretary of the Child Guidance Section in place of Dr Ferguson Rodger who has been appointed Psychiatric Adviser to the Scottish Command.
Members of the Emergency Committee have recently been in contact with the Scottish and Southern Command regarding the question of M.D. lads being called upon for military service and on other matters of mutual interest. The Committee has agreed to a request made by the General Board of Control for Scotland that the services of the Secretary of the Association should be diverted to the use of the Board from time to time, in order to assist to relieve pressure of work due to illness amongst members of the permanent Medical Staff.
The address of the Association is York Buildings, Queen Street, Edinburgh. Leeds Mental Health Services
In the Twenty-Fifth Annual Report of the Leeds Mental Health Services Com- mittee, attention is called to the decrease?from 129 to 81?in the number of children notified by the Education Authority for supervision or institutional care under the Mental Deficiency Act. A number of those who would, in normal conditions, have been notified, were evacuated on the outbreak of war by the Education Committee and have been away ever since. Moreover, no new children have been ‘’ ascertained in the elementary schools, and with the cessation of compulsory education many defectives who should be in Special Schools or in Occupation Centres have been left to roam the streets. This is regarded by the Committee as a deplorable state of affairs, and one which is not likely to show any sign of improvement so long as the war continues. Despite the lack of new notifications, the pressure on accommoda- tion at Meanwood Park Colony continues acute, and during 1939 it has been impossible to find vacancies for a number of low-grade children urgently in need of them.
On the outbreak of war, the three Occupation Centres for imbecile children were closed, and some time elapsed before arrangements could be made for their reopening- It is, however, encouraging to read of the transference of one of the Industry Centres hitherto held in old and unsatisfactory premises, to premises providing ampl? accommodation for the 50 lads in attendance with facilities for physical training and recreation as well as for instruction in tailoring and boot repairing.
The Mental Health Course
In the ten years’ history of the Mental Health Course there have never been such varied demands made upon past students as there have been during last year. Never have those concerned with these services looked with so great expectation to present and future students.
Local authorities in areas where, before the war, child guidance clinics had been scarcely heard of, have made successful requests to the Ministry of Health for the salary of a psychiatric social worker to help with difficult evacuated children. Some have recently even started clinics. Loans of experienced psychiatric social workers have been made by the Mental Health Emergency Committee to Civil Defence Regions, to bombed areas, and to districts where the homeless are arriving in great numbers. Past students have been in demand for children’s hostels, for shelters, for rest centres, and for carrying out social surveys. These new types of posts have emerged, in addition to the regular steady demand in mental and general hospitals, and in the old-established clinics.
Circumstances as well as planning have brought the training into close touch with many of these activities. The practical work with adult mental patients is carried on from a busy E.M.S. Hospital for civil and military patients in Mill Hill. The Child Guidance Training Centre is working in co-operation with the Oxford Education Committee, where the demands upon the services of the existing Clinic have been greatly increased by evacuated children as well as by the homeless families ?f London. For this practical training, taking place in the second and third terms of the Session, a foundation of knowledge and enquiry is laid in a first term of theoretical work in Cambridge, where the School is now spending its second Session.
For the first time in the ten years’ history of the Course the voluntary mental health organizations are this year taking a share in its cost, as well as in its direction. Fortunately the generous scholarships of the Commonwealth Fund are still available. These are advertised for the coming Session in this Journal.
Progressive Matrices Tests
Readers will remember an article on these Tests, invented by Dr Penrose and John Raven of the Research Department of the Royal Eastern Counties Institu- tlQn, which was published in our issue of January 1940. It is interesting to hear that the Tests have now been adopted by the War Office for use in the R.A.M.C., and an edition of 1,000 copies is being printed for the purpose. The first private edition of the Tests is now exhausted, and a second edition is in the press.
Institute for Scientific Treatment of Delinquency
We are asked to announce that owing to air raid damage, the Institute was obliged to move from 8 Portman Square, and is now at 17 Manchester Street, W.l (Telephone, Welbeck 6037). A series of 24 lectures (University Extension Course) is being given on ” Social Philosophy ” by Mr. K. B. Smellie, Reader in Political Science in the University of London, and is excellently attended despite the fact that the lectures have to be held ?n Sunday mornings. The Course began on January 5th, but single lectures may he attended for a fee of 2s.
After-Care in Birmingham
The Birmingham Special Schools After-Care Sub-Committee recently issued its Annual Report for the year ending 26th July, 1940, which includes a Statistical Summary of the position of 7,800 cases, of which 4,563 are still on the visiting list. Of the total number, 2,816 were doing remunerative work at a weekly wage averaging in the case of males 29s. 4d. and in the case of females 22s. 6d; 86 boys were serving in H.M. Forces.
These statistics date from 1901 and some of the ” boys and girls ” concerned are now over 50 years of age. Visitation has hitherto continued automatically, but during the year under review it was decided to withdraw from supervision those who could be considered to be permanently stabilized. Particulars of some of the cases so withdrawn are interesting as showing that certification as educationally defective by no means implies social deficiency showing itself in a permanent incapacity to become a useful member of the community. Thus we are told of a woman of 33 who left a Special School at 16 and was placed under statutory supervision. At 18 she was earning ?1 a week, and at 21 she married. She now has four normally healthy and intelligent children and a well-kept home. Another woman of 42, leaving a Special School at 16 and placed under voluntary supervision, has for twelve years kept house very successfully for a widowed father. All cases withdrawn are notified to the School Attendance Department in order that track may be kept of the children of any of the families concerned, and it is hoped that the records thus compiled may be of substantial value.
Copies of the Report may be obtained on application to the Chief Education Officer, Education Offices, Margaret Street, Birmingham.
Rest Periods for Air Raid Victims
The Merseyside Hospitals Council, which has had a wide experience in arranging convalescence for its contributors and their dependants, has acquired 800 additional beds in suitable Rest Homes, mainly in Lancashire and North Wales, which are set apart for the use of those needing rest and quietness after the experience of losing their homes and possessions as the result of enemy action.
Recommendations for this service are received from general practitioners, clergy* members of the Women’s Voluntary Services, A.R.P. workers and other responsible officials, and every encouragement is given to applicants by means of personal visits from members of the Council’s staff of home visitors, to take advantage of the scheme. Within 48 hours of the application being received, candidates are examined by the Council’s Medical Referee and, if approved, can then at once be sent away. Clothing, pocket money and railway fares are provided where necessary.
A three weeks’ stay in the Home is given to each patient and a note received from the Council comments on the amazing way in which ” 21 days of quiet and regular sleep and meals, and more especially loving sympathy, can restore the nerves and mental poise of the average housewife and young women workers who have faced this new and terrible ordeal of devastation by bombs
Disclaimer
The historical material in this project falls into one of three categories for clearances and permissions:
Material currently under copyright, made available with a Creative Commons license chosen by the publisher.
Material that is in the public domain
Material identified by the Welcome Trust as an Orphan Work, made available with a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
While we are in the process of adding metadata to the articles, please check the article at its original source for specific copyrights.