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There are, of course, situations when a child requires services outside the home, but they will always be clearly definable. But what about the family who for good and valid reasons is unable to take care of a child in the family unit? In such cases the basic human right of the child to live within a family situation should mean a right to be placed in a substitute home which provides, as much as possible, the security and acceptance which fosters individual growth. I realize that this is a point bitterly contested. But it is frankly untenable to speak of the overwhelming importance of the family home (and I agree with that) on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to move in the opposite direction and depend on the impersonal care of an institution when the family feels unable to cope with the child for an indefinite period. A time-limited stay for a specific treatment plan in an appropriate therapeutic institutional setting is, of course, another matter.

I have at various times this morning made references to problems of children and adults with Down's Syndrome, and I realize how unsatisfactory it is to talk about such intensively human issues in an abstract way. My husband and I have had the great fortune to be able to watch the growth and development of a large number of retarded children in various countries from early childhood into adolescence and adulthood, and this has given us a strong sense of optimism for what lies ahead. Therefore, I thought it would be appropriate if I share with you this morning the success story of a child with Down's Syndrome -- in other words, of a child who in the opinion of some would not be considered a human being -- and should either have been sent to an institution or done away with altogether.

I have chosen his story because toward the end I am referring to some of the problems we have discussed here this morning.

Jacques Dumont is a young man with Down's Syndrome in his early 20s. He lives in a large city in Belgium with his parents and younger brothers; in the office where he is employed he runs the addressograph and mimeograph machines, goes to the post office and the bank, prepares the morning and afternoon coffee, and is a helpful and trustworthy worker. He lives 15 minutes from the office and likes to walk home from work but also can use public transportation. He does his own personal shopping and independently calls up favorite relatives to invite himself to a meal. Growing up in a family with musical interests he enjoys opera and ballet, and not only listens himself to classical music but informs his mother of good radio programs. While his reading skill is minimal, listening to radio and television keeps him aware of current events, and at election time he knew for which candidate he wanted to vote and did so.

After his parents became involved in organizing a group home for mentally retarded young men and women, Jacques began to visit there independently, not just to socialize but to be helpful, for instance, with newcomers, whom he tries to make feel at home. He rides a bicycle, swims well, and has learned to ski. He has taken trips by train and plane by himself, and although he is rather shy, he has learned to handle social situations reasonably well. While he looks younger than his real age and his posture is not the best, his physique has without doubt been greatly aided by the opportunity to help on a farm during summers. Pitching hay and driving a tractor are not activities one usually considers appropriate for young people with his handicap but they have been right for him, and undoubtedly have substantially contributed to his physical development and self confidence.

The point is often made that while a young person like Jacques can manage in the protective environment of his parental home, he might easily feel "lost" in some other living situation in the community, such as a hostel or supervised apartment. Yet many of Jacques' present leisure activities are carried on independently. He attends on his own a swimming club; he purchases his own tapes and, having learned from his brother, records favorite radio programs; another hobby he enjoys doing alone is making woolen carpets. He needs no help in preparing a sandwich or other light snacks for himself.

In the past Jacques has fallen in love several times with non-handicapped young women, passing infatuations which left him sad. He knows he is an adult (and uses that word); someday he may want to establish his own household as other adults do. Now that he likes to visit in the nearby hostel, he might perhaps find a young woman there he may want to marry. Jacques will need help at that point in realistically grasping the demands of such a relationship, along with the problem of maintaining a household. Still, if having a separate household turns out to be too much of a challenge, the young couple may be satisfied to have their own quarters as part of a hostel or group home, at least at the beginning. In general it is assumed that men with Down's Syndrome are not capable of reproduction. Should tests prove the contrary, the question of pregnancy prevention would have to be discussed with the young couple in terms which they can understand.