Child Psychiatry's 50th anniversary

[In Singapore. Children have been having psychiatric problems since time immemorial. It was just that nobody cared!]

This year, 2020, is the 50th year of the Child Guidance Clinic, in Singapore.

It started in 1970 with the first formal and separate set up of a Child Guidance Clinic. 

Though from the newspaper reports, it seemed like it had been in the plans for some time.

As early as September 1954, there was talk of a Child Guidance Clinic to be opened "late next year" (i.e. 1955). This was sort of a follow-up story to the news from a year before (1953) on the same topic.

But Singapore had more important things to worry about then (the 1950s), like getting self-government from the British, and presumably the Brits were occupied with either trying to help Singapore be self-governing (or prevent it?).

Also, communists insurgents.

So in 1966, there was still talk about how Singapore could really use a Child Guidance Clinic. Because one had not been set up.

Well, in the midst of gaining independence, the young government of Singapore took time out to start a Child Guidance Service in Woodbridge hospital in 1968 (just THREE years after Independence, or being kicked out of the Federation... maybe it was worried that our ignominious ejection from the Federation might lead to a surge of delinquency? Lee Kuan Yew certainly seemed delinquent... from a historical point of view. Or perhaps "hysterical point of view".)

And this "service" evolved into a separate stand alone unit at 4 College Road in 1970. (This link is to a search result, as this particular news articles is not viewable online. However, the summary of the news articles are! And the CGC is "open one and a half DAYS a week", initially.) 

However, the story of Child Guidance did not begin 50 years ago, or in 1968, or even in 1953. 

As early as 1929, there was a report of a new Child Guidance Clinic. In New York.

But of course the main concerns if the authorities (colonial) in 1936 is the health and welfare of the children. 

Interestingly, the first Child Guidance Clinic was a private clinic for children of rich parents. Or at least parents who could afford the fee of $10. In return for that fee, parents receive advice on the proper way to bring up their children. That was in 1950. So this would be the 70th anniversary. If that clinic still exists today.

But another expert, who was here on holiday in 1955, had her brain picked (interviewed) and she was of the opinion that in many cases, "it was the parents who had to be cured" first.

Apparently, if you are an expert, it is hazardous to holiday in Singapore, back then.

And if you are a Child Guidance Clinic, you are also in danger. In April 1971, the ceiling of the Clinic collapsed, due to termites. ("Clinic eaten by termites" - This link is to a search result, as this news article is not viewable online. However, this has the first few lines of the article!) 

And the support of children's mental health was not solely borne by the government. Even then, there was a role for what is now called, the People Sector (i.e. not Public Sector - the government, not Private Sector - the commercial, but the voluntary or People Sector). St Andrew's Mission Hospital was a significant part of the Child Mental Health care.

So much so that in 1975, the Ministry of Health (?) articulated a policy for there NOT to be a paediatric inpatient unit for psychiatric patients. And stated explicitly that mild cases requiring inpatient care would be in paediatric wards and more serious cases would be warded in St Andrews Hospital.

Though this changed in 1982, and a Child Psychiatric Inpatient Unit was set up.

The gist of the story seems to be that it was set up as a Child Guidance Clinic, then within two years, it was renamed "Child Psychiatric Clinic", and then 24 years later, it reverted to "Child Guidance Clinic". 

There is probably a story behind it.