Meeting the needs of handicapped children and their families. The evolution of Honeylands: a family support unit, Exeter.

A support service for families with mental, physical, sensory or environmental handicap has evolved from a paediatric ward of a District Hospital. Expressed parental needs have been the source of evolutionary change. About 200 families use the various services of specific therapy, day or longer term residential relief, playgroups for those with special needs, school for the chronically ill. The location is a remodelled stately home on large grounds close to the centre of a city of 100 000, and serves a district of 300 000. The demand for permanent residential placement in the age group under 11 years in this area appears to have been reduced by 80%.