Learning Disability Services (and Beyond): Will Having an Evidence Base Make a Difference?

Eric Emerson's recently published research on the costs and quality of village, residential communities and supported housing should bring to an end an argument that has bedevilled learning disability services for a number of years. The most important questions raised by the research are arguably those that lie beneath the surface of the village community vs. ordinary life debate ‐ and also have an importance well beyond the learning disability field.