Psychiatric referrals by a Juvenile court

A psychiatric service for children has attempted to make effective use of its limited resources by specialising in conjoint family therapy and in the establishment of consistent links with the network of other agencies and services working with parents and children. Since involvement with the law is seen as a point of crisis by a family and by the professionals already involved with it, the Juvenile Court is an important focal point in the network. The referral of a particular adolescent 'patient' to a child psychiatrist is described in detail, and the wider implications are discussed.