Exploratory studies of the services for maladjusted children

Abstract

Three exploratory studies in the field of the services for maladjusted, children are described, in this volume.The first study is based on data obtained from child guidance clinics in those boroughs constituting the Outer London area. Initially the data is presented as rates of referral of children to the- thirty clinics concerned. An examination of these figures is then carried out in terms of the age and sex of the children and the source of referral. Further refinements of this and other data collected about these areas enables the second stage of this study to progress. A causal analysis is carried out which seeks to explain why it is that the rates of referral to child guidance clinics and maladjusted schools vary from one area to another. The concept of social ethos is used as an independent variable and the number of clinic staff available as an intervening variable. The second study addresses itself to the problem of why it is that some families who are referred to child guidance clinics co-operate with the clinics while others do not. An explanatory model based upon both sociological and psychological approaches is developed. This is tested using the techniques of causal analysis. Finally the causal links are examined in the light of the clients expectations of the clinic and a role conflict model is used to illustrate the causal structure.