A study of referrals of black children to a general hospital psychiatric outpatient clinic.

Five hundred and seventy-seven children who attended a child psychiatric out-patient clinic during 1987 were evaluated. Their clinical and demographic characteristics are described and management discussed. High on the list of presenting complaints were poor school performance and behavioural problems. Factors considered as influencing referrals are socio-economic, political, lack of school psychological services and facilities for the management of the intellectually handicapped. The most common diagnoses were mental retardation (39.5%) and epilepsy (16.2%).