Summary
This chapter contains a selective review of literature related to the placement of mentally retarded children out of their birth or natural homes into alternative care environments. It focuses on the differences in the correlates of placement before and after the passage of Public Law 94-142. A model of the placement process is proposed, and the factors presumed to influence placement are discussed. Factors delaying or preventing placement are also considered. We conclude that placement depends on a complex constellation of factors that are dynamic in nature.