Nursery observation in the training of child psychiatry registrars

Abstract

This paper discusses a training opportunity based on an adaptation of the Infant Observation method. This is a much shorter module, of ten weekly visits.

We describe three training components: (a) an opportunity to learn directly about child development and to become familiar with children's verbal and nonverbal communications; (b) a direct experience of the emotional impact and strength of primitive feelings, both in the children and in the trainees themselves, and (c) learning to be a ‘non-participant’ observer. We believe that the ability to observe without intervention is extremely important in the development of clinical skids. We suggest that this is the cornerstone of the method and that it may have a wider application to the training of those in the caring professions, including psychiatrists, nurses and social workers.