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Children and young people with an intellectual disability (referred to in this article as young people) have a higher incidence of mental illness and challenging behaviour than individuals without cognitive impairment. Inpatient assessment and treatment in a learning disability‐specific provision rather than mainstream inpatient child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is most beneficial for those young people who experience a more severe intellectual disability or whose presenting complaint is challenging behaviour not associated with a co‐morbid mental illness. Assessment and treatment of this complex group of young people can only be successful if the services which manage them have access to a highly experienced and comprehensive multidisciplinary team. Admission is only worthwhile if recommendations that arise from the assessment can be transferred to the community and those involved in supporting the young person are motivated to work in collaboration with the inpatient team.

In this article, the aim is to focus on the legislation in place within England and Wales pertaining to the care and treatment of children and young people, but intends to give a brief outline of the equivalent law in Scotland. It seeks to describe how the age of a young person will determine which piece of legislation should be used to ensure an admission into an inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit will be lawful. It also seeks to consider the role of those with parental responsibility in the decision‐making progress and discuss which components of a proposed treatment plan they would or would not be able to consent to on behalf of those children and young people in their care.

The author searched the literature, relevant legislation and codes of practice for guidance on the care and treatment of children and adolescents with an intellectual disability.

Legislation governing the admission and treatment of children and adolescents with an intellectual disability is complex. All clinicians working with those under the age of 18 should have knowledge of the relevant legislation to ensure that the rights of children and young people are upheld.

This article summarises the relevant guidance that is already available on the care and treatment of children and young people, but focuses on the needs of those with an intellectual disability.

The group has continued to meet regularly since the publication of the last bulletin and has welcomed a number of new members and visitors from both home and overseas. Many members who joined at the beginning or very early on in the Group's history still attend regularly, but several long‐standing members have also left, or ceased active participation, in the period under review. Towards the end of 1972 Mr Wells relinquished the chairmanship of the Group, due to pressure of work, and his place was taken by Mr Mills. Another departure, and one that robbed the Group of one of its most active and forceful members, was that of Jason Farradane. He left the country in 1974, and the Group presented him with a book as a memento of many enjoyable and provocative discussions stimulated by his presence at the meetings which he unfailingly attended. It was with great pleasure that he was welcomed back to a meeting while he was visiting this country in January 1976.