ABSTRACT
Habilitation must be a multidisciplinary concern and involve a number of professions including psychology, education, social work and medicine. In order to bring about effective habilitation of the individual, a number of skills will need to be learnt as the individual develops through progressive stages. In developing an effective habilitation service it is necessary to pay attention to a number of principles or guidelines which have developed over the years and are relevant to the functioning of a child whatever his age and whatever the situation. The language of many handicapped children, particularly those from deprived backgrounds, has limitations. The problems facing young children in unfamiliar environments have been referred to earlier. In unfamiliar circumstances the child is likely to show a decrease in verbalization and motor and perceptual performance for several days. However, most children have some characteristic by which learning can be motivated and regard certain consequences as rewarding.
