Evaluation of an assessment and training unit for developmentally delayed children.

The Rata villa assessment and training unit is intended to provide a short term community service for the evaluation and treatment of developmentally delayed children who are becoming difficult to manage at home or in community educational or training facilities. Since it opened the unit has dealt with 102 first admissions with a wide variety of problems, ranging in age from two to 15 years and varying in intellectual level from normal intelligence to profoundly retarded. In 71 percent of these cases permanent improvements have been made in at least one of the problem areas identified by the child's parents on admission. The treatment programmes are considered to have contributed to maintaining the child in the community as only 28 percent of those treated are currently long term residents in psychopaedic hospitals.