Experience with hospital units for adolescents indicates that the benefits can be substantial (Fisher 1994), in meeting developmental (Battle et al 1989, Denholm 1987 and 1988) and psychosocial needs (Stevens 1986) of adolescents, and in enhancing the paediatric training programme for the institution (Schonberg and Cohen 1979). Administrative difficulties, including financial concerns, competing clinical needs and behavioural problems, in the adolescents' unit can be readily managed (Fisher 1994, Schonberg and Cohen1979). Adolescent inpatient units were first established in the 1950s and 1960s, as a way of providing optimal, developmental appropriate care for hospitalised adolescents (Fisher and Kaufman 1996).