First published in 1975, this book compiles a number of studies concerning institutional care and children, which address the question of why institutions that serve apparently similar functions differ so much.

Preface; Contributors; 1. Introduction Jack Tizard, Ian Sinclair and R. V. G. Clarke 2. Residential care of children: a general view Peter Moss 3. Quality of residential care for retarded children Jack Tizard 4. Organisation and change in children's institutions Kevin Heal and Pat Cawson 5. Varieties of residential nursery experience Barbara Tizard 6. The influence of wardens and matrons on probation hostels: a study of quasi-family institution Ian Sinclair 7. Measurement of treatment potential: its rationale, method and some results in Canada Tadeusz Grygier 8. The measurement of staff-child interaction in three units for autistic children Lawrence Bartak and Michael Rutter 9. A conceptual scheme for the comparative analysis of residential institutions Spencer Millham, Roger Bullock and Paul Cherrett 10. Socialisation in residential communities: an illustration of the analytical framework previously presented Spencer Millham, Roger Bullock and Paul Cherrett 11. A study of absconding and its implications for the residential treatment of delinquents R. V. G. Clarke and D. N. Martin; Notes; Index