ABSTRACT
The diversity of the residential units whose staff were interviewed was striking, both within and between the different sectors. This certainly re-confirmed Utting's 1991 description of the 'bewildering variety' of residential establishments existing for children. A long-standing concern about the use of residential provision for children and young people is that it is only used as a 'last resort' after numerous other options have failed. Over half of the residential staff interviewed reported that the children and young people they dealt with showed a more marked lack of trust in adults and non-acceptance of adult authority. The cut-off of financial support from special education departments when young people reached the statutory school leaving age of sixteen years was noted by several head teachers to underlie the cessation of some placements. Respondents from the other twelve children's homes/therapeutic communities indicated that allocation was much more problematic.
