Primary care workers' perception of disturbed children and the agencies they use to help these children

The aim of this study was to investigate how workers from primary care agencies perceived children who might be considered disturbed and to elucidate those factors that caused them to refer a child or family to a specific agency for help. Questionnaires were distributed to various referring agencies and for comparison to Child Guidance Clinic Staff. The questionnaire had two components, the first examined the type of contact that the professionals had with other agencies. The second asked them to read theoretical case histories and answer questions about how they perceived the child and family, what agencies they might use and what types of treatment they felt were most appropriate. The results obtained are presented and their implications for the organization of child psychiatric services discussed.