On Opening an Adolescent Unit

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to report our experience in developing a psychiatric in-patient unit for adolescent boys. The Unit is known as Beech House and contains 16 beds and has been operating since January, 1959. It is a non-statutory ward and is the first treatment unit of this kind attached to a large provincial mental hospital such as St. Augustine's. Its catchment area is limited to the South-East Metropolitan region which comprises Kent and part of East Sussex. Only exceptionally are cases from outside these two counties accepted into the unit.