Censure for `burnt-out' psychologist; Parents didn't get reports.

Byline: GARETH HUGHES

A PSYCHOLOGIST who was paid to carry out assessments on nine autistic children produced a report on only one, a disciplinary inquiry heard yesterday.

Parents anxious to arrange their children's future education eventually threatened legal action against Gunars Grinvalds who, when asked why he had not produced the reports, said:``I felt burnt out.''

Mr Grinvalds, who is based in the county psychological education centre in Middle Lane,Denbigh, was hired by the Irish-based Dochas (Hope for People with Autism) and was paid 650 euros for each of the nine reports.

The group's information coordinator Mary Sims, told the British Psychological Society hearing in London that the purpose of the assessments was to ``secure appropriate educational interventions for the children''.

Mr Grinvalds, a chartered psychologist and Associate Fellow of the BPS, travelled to Ireland and carried out the assessments in April, 2002, and promised the parents that the reports would be available within six weeks.

Dochas started applying pressure later that year and early in 2003 the parents were concerned that the reports would no longer be valid.

But when Mr Grinvalds returned to Ireland in March, 2003,he saw only some of the children.

``He agreed that the situation was untenable and promised faithfully to let the parents have the reports within two weeks,'' saidMs Sims. When a report on only one child was received by the end of March Mr Grinvalds was told that Dochas would be contacting solicitors.

Joshue Munro, representing Mr Grinvalds, said he had entered into private practice for the first time but his partner, who was to be his supervisor, suffered a heart attack.

``Mr Grinvalds was naive. It was his first time in private practice,he took on too much and was swamped,''he said.

Imposing a severe reprimand, chairman Joop Tannis said the committee considered it ``a very serious lapse''.

Mr Grinvalds was ordered to repay the money and legal fees by August 31 and to produce the reports by July 16.