This paper describes innovatory schemes and progress in bringing children with learning difficulties out of hospital. At the conference, Barnardo's N.W. Division presented information about their professional fostering scheme, followed by Portsmouth and S.E. Hampshire Health Authority's provision of alternative accommodation in the community for mentally handicapped children. A dehospitalisation scheme planning for individual needs, set up by Barnardo's London Division was examined and a description of three houses in Northumberland for children from hospital concluded the conference presentations.