ABSTRACT
PREAMBLE A great many changes have taken place within the service sectors over the past few years. The thrust to close large traditional hospitals for people with learning difficulties has meant that new models of care are being developed and tested throughout Britain. Largely, resources for residential provision are being transferred from Health to Social Services. Correspondingly, the Community Care Act has revolutionised the role of the latter, with greater emphasis on the management and purchasing rather than the direct provision of care. This has afforded the opportunity for non-statutory agencies to become providers of care or to extend the service they already offer. Consequently, in general there is now a greater number of players in the provision-of-services game.
