In the mid-1980s the Child Guidance Training Centre (CGTC) , which had been sharing premises with the Tavistock Clinic at Belsize Lane, had its funding cut. The decision was taken to merge the CGTC with the Department for Children and Parents at the Tavistock Clinic and between 1984 and 1985 departmental chair Judith Trowell and CGTC social worker Gillian Miles oversaw the somewhat painful transition.
The CGTC had existed since 1928 when it was founded by Dr William Moodie and had its own proud traditions. John Bowbly had trained there and it had a key role in establishing multi-disciplinary teams for supporting children and their families.
When it joined the Tavistock, the merged department was renamed the Child and Family Department and became the largest department at the Tavistock Clinic. The merger also bought Gloucester House, or the Day Unit, as it was known at that time under the Tavistock Clinic.