ABSTRACT
Earlier in this monograph, in chapter two, Griffiths and Hinshelwood emphasize the need for reflective space to be maintained in the face of defensive attempts to avoid it by both patients and staff. They also describe how specific structures have been built into the life of the Cassel Hospital in which reasons for success and failure in everyday situations are explored in order to sustain this culture of enquiry. In this chapter, I wish to use an example of one such structure—the parents’ meeting—to look more specifically at different ways the space for enquiry is maintained and the obstacles faced by both staff and patients in this joint endeavour.
