This book examines new developments in provisions for people with learning disabilities. It establishes the current network of services as a base and reduces aspects of the NHS, Community Care Act (1990) and Disabled Persons Act (1986) to terminology accessible to professionals and others engaged in this area. Building on "Services for the Mentally Handicapped in Britain" (Malin, Race and Jones, 1980), it includes additional chapters such as advocacy/empowerment and recreation and leisure. Other parts of the book consider in more detail concepts engendered in the new legislation: care-management and assessment, quality and inspection, and inter-agency planning. The book aims to provide a broad review of material based on research and local developments in deinstitutionalization and community care, residential, day care, voluntary and educational services. It should be of interest to students and professional staff in psychology, teaching, medicine, nursing, social work and the voluntary sector concerned with people with learning disabilities.

Table of Contents:
Notes on contributors Introduction: A Policy Overview Nigel Malin, Sheffield Hallam University Section One: The Service Context 1. Classification of people with learning disabilities David Race, Stockport College 2. Causes of learning disabilities David Race, Stockport College 3. Epidemiology of learning disabilities David Race, Stockport College 4. Historical development of service provision David Race, Stockport College 5. Residential and day services Paul Williams, Reading University 6. Services to families Jill Manthorpe, University of Health 7. Education and assessment services Glenys Jones, Department of Health and Department of Education 8. Leisure and recreation services Judith Russell, Sheffield Hallam University 9. Empowerment and advocacy Ken Simons, University of Bristol 10. Financial services Paul Martinez, The Staff College, Bristol and Andrew Balchin, Sheffield City Council Section Two: Implementing the Community Care Act 11. Professional and planning issues in assessment Oliver Russell, University of Bristol 12. Assessment methods and professional directions James Hogg, University of Dundee 13. Community care plans Derek Thomas, National Development Team 14. Care management Ann Richardson, Freelance Researcher 15. Quality assurance and inspection Ian Sinclair, University of York and John Brown, University of York 16. The survival of collaboration and co-operation John Hattersley, Sheffield Hallam University 17. Is a co-ordinated service attainable? Bob Hudson, University of Durham