CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC
Introduction
Child guidance clinic were started in 1922, as part of program sponsored by a private
organization ‘Common Wealth fund’s Program’ for the prevention of juvenile
delinquency.
The first child guidance clinic was started in Chicago in 1990 and the first CGC was
started in India in 1939 at the TATA institute Mumbai. The CGC in Delhi was started in
1955 at RAK con, simultaneously with madras, now they have grown in number
throughout the world.
Definition
Child guidance clinic are specialized clinics that deal with children of normal and
abnormal intelligence, exhibiting a range of behaviors and psychological problems which
are summed up as maladjustments.
A child guidance clinic is one of the medico-social amenities for the organized and
scientific study and treatment of maladjustment in children.
CONCEPT OF CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC
It is for the all-round development of a child the child’s physical and physiological functioning
and the environment to which he is exposed at home and school, should be taken care off. All
this is possible through interaction with and counseling of the child and his family by a health
care team.
OBJECTIVES
To provide help for children with behavioral problem like pica, bed-wetting, sleep
walking, speech defects etc.
To provide care and guidance for children with mental retardation
To provide care for children with learning difficulties
To provide counseling, guidance and information to parents regarding care and
upbringing of children.
TEAM MEMBERS
There are different team members working together in child guidance clinic-
Psychiatrist
Clinical pathologist
Educational psychologist
Psychiatric social worker
Public health nurses
Pediatrician
Psychologist team members: multidisciplinary team comprising of a
Speech therapist
Social worker
Nurses
Teachers
Occupational therapist
Neurologist
“The team meets regularly once in 2 weeks, Screens all the children, Early stimulation, Gives a
program for the children who have not been intervened, Follow-up, Reinforces by training the
caretakers”
SERVICES PROVIDED BYCHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC
Management of behavioral problem
Management of learning difficulties
Management of emotional problems
Management of adjustment problems
Management of developmental problems
Management of intellectual deficits
Management of socio-legal issues.
Other services are-
Individual psycho therapy
Family and marital therapy
Behavior and cognitive therapy
Occupational therapy
Group therapy
play therapy
Counseling
Suggestions
Change in the physical environment
Reconstruction of parental attitudes etc.
Principles of child guidance treatment
The treatment of the child is carried out not by one person but by a team of workers. The
team of staff members is constituted of a psychiatrist, a pediatrician, a PHN, and
educational psychiatric social worker, and playroom workers.
The child is treated as a whole and the personality has many aspects, viz., physical,
intellectual, educational, emotional, social and economic, etc. each of these aspects is
studied by the respective staff member who has specialized in that particular field.
Treatment
•First treatment of the child himself
•Second family attitudes as a focus of treatment
Treatment of the child himself-
A. Treatment of any physical illness if it is present.
B. Psychotherapy which includes :
Suggestion and Persuasion.
Hypnosis
Re-education
Psychoanalysis
C. Play therapy and other forms of expressive therapies
Family attitudes as a focus of treatment-
A. Attitude therapy to the parents.
B. Treatment of psychoneurosis or psychosis in parents, if and when necessary.
Role of nurse
The nurse can help prevent by identifying risk cases in the community.
Educating the public
Not only encouraging but also undertaking research studies herself
Provide holistic nursing care
Lobby for child rights
Nurse plays an important role in the child guidance clinic
Help establish good child parent bond as well as good teacher parent child bond by
guiding them
Be an exemplary role model
The child guidance clinic is to prevent children from the possibilities of becoming
neurotics and psychotics in later life.
Providing counseling and guidance to parents.
Providing help for children with behavioral problems like pica, bed wetting (nocturnal
enuresis), sleep walking (somnambulism), breath holding spells, temper tantrums
habits(thumb sucking, nail biting, head banging, teeth grinding, stammering, autism, drug
abuse and school phobia.School refusals, school withdrawl or school absentisms.
Children who have mental retardation, learning disabilities behavioral problems: lying,
stealing, aggresiveness, destructiveness, disobedience, over activity.
Children with emotional & mood disorders ex: depression, school refusals, fears.
Adjustment reactions ex: school related problems, grief. Development disorders. Ex:
autism bed wetting and soiling.
Intelectual deficit, School legal issues and problems ex: sexual offences, child abuse, and
head injuries. Neuroses (anxiety, phobias, obsessions). Psychotic disorder
(schizophrenia).
