A New Experiment
- Author:
Watkins
An interesting experiment is being made in Northampton which is of more than local interest. On May 28th a Home was formally opened for Maladjusted Girls, which is the first of its kind in this country to be approved by the Board of Education and recognised for grant purposes. The type of child for whom the Home is intended may be indicated by some of the diffi- culties we are trying to help. The Matron has therefore supplied the following instances.
There is the child who comes to us with a history of unreliability and untruthfulness?sometimes, we find, the result of fear from too strict treatment, or lack of understanding. We have handled many such during the past two years and often more freedom and the feeling that the child is trusted, will help much.
Stealing presents another problem. We try first to find out the reason why the child stole. This can only be done by gaining the child’s confidence and affection. The other children help much in the re-education of such a child?they learn to have more respect for the community?and with fair treatment we have had encouraging results.
Enurecis is often the result of a child losing her mother or feeling that she is supplanted. One such child we have who was whipped daily for this, but now that we have made her feel that she is needed and vital to us, she is nearly cured.
We find that a feeling of inferiority plays a large part with many of our difficult girls. If they cannot be proud of their homes and parents they will invent wonderful stories. A child came to us with a wretched background, moved from Home to workhouse, etc., and she tells the other children that she has come from College and before that that she was ill in hospital. We hope she will in time feel this is a real home with a small ” h,” and with pretty frocks and things of her very own, and this, together with the feeling that she is needed, may wean her from her lies and tempers.
A little girl with sly ways and a tendency towards masturbation, has shown great improvement when we realized that she was overshadowed by a younger child. By bringing her especially forward and giving her all the interests possible, she has responded wonderfully, and is now much more open and the masturbation, we think, has ceased.
As each child comes to us now a Psychiatrist will see her and give advice as to the best lines to work on, then, with careful observation individually, we hope to help the children to readjust themselves to life.
As it is hoped that, when better days come, other Homes of a similar kind may be started?one for boys is badly needed?it may be of help to others to know something of the way into which it came into being.
It originated out of the Northamptonshire Orphanage for girls, which was founded in 1858 in Northampton. The property was given by a benefactor, but the institution was supported by voluntary subscriptions, and the sub- scribers received votes for admission according to the amount of their contributions. The girls were educated in the Orphanage and were trained for domestic service. Most of the girls got good situations, and several legacies were left to the institution by people in the County. Since the War the number of applications greatly diminished, owing chiefly to the assistance given by the State to widows and dependents, and in more recent years the applications for admission almost ceased although the word ” orphan ” was widely interpreted, and girls were admitted from outside the County and Borough of Northampton. When the numbers fell to 9, in a building which accommodated 27, the subscribers appointed a sub-committee to consider the situation and report.
Our first consideration was the possibility of selling the Orphanage and acquiring new premises outside the town for a Children’s Convalescent Home in connection with the General Hospital, but it seemed unlikely that we should receive any payment for patients, our own accumulated benefactions only amounted to about ^2,000, and in a town which is already noted for the number of its charitable institutions it was doubtful if the proposal would receive sufficient support. The secretary of the Diocesan Moral Welfare Association then brought to our notice the need for a Home for Maladjusted Girls, and consultations with others led the sub-committee to explore this proposal and finally to recommend it to the subscribers. It was accepted and the committee proceeded along these lines.
Three main difficulties had to be faced at the outset: ? 1. The difficulty of finding suitable premises. The Orphanage is an old building near the centre of the town, and, apart from a large field attached to it, unattractive both inside and out. We heard of a large modern house standing in two acres of garden in a residential district on the outskirts of the town which belonged to the County Council and had been used by their Education Committee as a Resident School of Domestic Economy, but had been closed for financial reasons. Our approach to the secretary of the Educa- tion Committee encouraged us to believe that, if our proposal was sanctioned by die Board of Education, it might be possible for us to acquire the house on a long lease.
2. The insufficiency of our own resources to maintain such a Home. Our next step was to approach the Board of Education to enquire whether there was any possibility of obtaining a grant under Section 80 of the Educa- tion Act of 1921. It was pointed out that provision is made for mentally defective, blind, deaf and crippled children, but that nothing has hitherto been done for children who are temperamentally abnormal and present persistent problems of behaviour. The proposal was considered by the Medical and Legal Departments of the Board, and in April, 1930, the Board informed the Committee that they had ” learned with interest of the project, and had decided to accept it in principle for the purpose of recognising for grant ex- penditure by local Education Authorities in sending children of Elementary School age to the Home which means that any local Education Authority in England or Wales who sends us a child at 26/- per week can recover half that amount from the Board.
3. The difficulty of diverting the funds of an old Charity to a new purpose. While these negotiations were proceeding with the Board of Educa- tion and the County Council, the Charity Commissioners were approached with a view to the drafting of a new scheme for the Charity. It was our intention to keep to the original foundation in three respects: ? (a) The Home should be for girls. (b) It should be in accordance with the principles of the Church of England. (c) Preference would be given to girls from the County and Borough of Northampton.
These three Public Bodies were, of course, in communication with one another while negotiations were proceeding, and eventually the Charity Com- missioners drafted a scheme on the lines suggested by the committee. But even then there were two further difficulties to be faced. One was the sale of the Orphanage at the price specified by the local valuer who acted for the Commissioners. The other was that when the financial crisis arose in August, 1930, there was some doubt as to whether the Board of Education would endorse their approval given in the previous April. However, they were satisfied that, on the strength of that approval our proposal had so far materialised that delay would be impossible: also a purchaser was found for the Orphanage.
All this time, preparations were going on for the change over within the Orphanage itself. The Matron left for another post, and the Committee decided to appoint a lady who would be qualified to deal with the new type of child. We were fortunate in securing the services of Miss Hollick, who is a fully trained nurse, and has some knowledge of psychology and experience in dealing with difficult girls. We admitted one or two such girls to the Orphanage on a small payment from relations, and found no difficulty arising from their living with the normal children; on the contrary, we had quite encouraging results.
An interesting point arose in the earlier stages of our negotiations?as to whether we should attempt internal education. We came to the conclusion that maladjusted children should not be segregated, and obtained permission of the Borough Education Committee for the children in our Home to attend the local Church of England or Council Schools on condition that the Authority which sends the child will sign a form to guarantee a payment of 2/- per week for the cost of education. In accordance with the Board’s regula- tions, this payment will be excluded for grant purposes. The charge of 26/- per week for the child’s maintenance under skilled supervision in the Home does not cover the whole cost. The rent, rates, and cost of internal repairs of the house are paid by the Committee out of the interest on invested capital and voluntary subscriptions.
On its medical side the Home is under the direction of Dr William Moodie, Director of the London Child Guidance Clinic, who has kindly con- sented to be the honorary psychiatrist. He will visit the Home from time to time, and, when necessary, the Matron will take children to him. We have also the services of an honorary chaplain?the Vicar of the parish in which the Home is situated?an honorary lady physician and an honorary dental surgeon.
The Home has been inspected by an official of the Board of Education, and several improvements were made before we moved into it, including the installation of central heating and electric light. The Home stands in a delight- ful situation’, facing south, and commanding a fine view of the surrounding country, though easily accessible from the town. It is a particularly healthy, bracing place?in fact, the Convalescent Home of the General Hospital is in the immediate neighbourhood. The Home is in every way adapted to provide a thoroughly healthy environment for the children with suitable occupation out of school hours and during the holidays. On Sunday they attend the Parish Church and Sunday School, and the Girl Guides on one evening in the week, while in the Home itself arrangements are made to interest them in gardening under the direction of the lady gardener, and to have outings and picnics.
At present the Staff consists of the Matron, Assistant Matron, Cook Matron, and Lady Gardener, and provision is made in the budget for an additional House Matron as the number of children increases. There is accommodation for 26 children in addition to the Staff. A good deal of the house work is now being done by four elder girls who came from the Orphan- age, but when they leave at 16 years of age it will probably be done by adults.
In framing the budget and estimating the cost per week of maintaining a child, we had to take into account that it must necessarily be some time before the Home could be full, but allowance was made for this by estimating the Salaries and the number of the Staff at the maximum, while at the start we are paying the minimum. In order to make the Home known, a copy of the Prospectus has been sent to the Secretary and Medical Officer of every Educa- tion Authority in England, and notices have appeared in appropriate periodicals, but as Dr Crowley of the Board of Education reminded us at the Opening, we could hardly have started at a more difficult time, and it may be some time before many applications for admission are received from the L.E.A.’s. Much, however, might be done by Mental Welfare Associations who necessarily come into contact with maladjusted girls from time to time. For instance :?the secretary of one Association has persuaded the local Educa- tion Authority to send us a girl who was brought by the Secretary herself, and she has since written : ?” I was very interested in the Home, and will certainly try to interest people in the work, because I think it is really wonderful that we have such a Home as yours to place girls now.”
Several eminent doctors, psychologists and others, have written to com- mend this new enterprise. Sir W. Clarke Hall, Metropolitan Magistrate, says:?” I am very fully convinced of the need of such an Institution as this Home provides.” Dr Ballard writes:?” It is only by removing the child to a healthier home environment that the case can be completely cured. It seems to me that such an institution is a necessary adjunct to a sound system of deal- ing with difficult children. May this pioneer enterprise be followed by many others.” A Director of Education says:?” I have long felt the need for a Home providing special training under careful supervision for girls who, though not mentally defective, have temperamental abnormalities, or who have been brought up in unfortunate surroundings. The recommendations of a Psychological Expert are of little value unless they can be followed by a period of treatment carrying out his advice, and many Education Authorities have been seriously handicapped in their efforts to deal with this problem by the lack of suitable accommodation.”
The method of procedure for admission is as follows:?Application^ is addressed to the Matron, who, if the case appears suitable, forwards it to Dr Moodie. He sends a form asking questions as to the nature of the child’s habits and behaviour and physical condition, and, if possible, arranges to see the child at the Clinic. Then, if the case is suitable, notice of admission is sent, giving details as to travelling, and a list of clothing to be sent with the child. The length of the child’s stay in the Home will be by arrangement. Reports of her progress will be sent to the body or individual responsible for sending her.
NOTE.?The Secretary of the C.A.M.W. will be glad to forward to anyone interested the address of the home described in the above article.
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