At some point in their lives, virtually everyone has community care needs, whether it is as an individual or as a carer. At its heart, community care concerns the provision of assistance to allow vulnerable people with special needs to live independently, either in their own, or in residential care, homes. Consequently, community care law impacts on healthcare, education, social services, housing, support for asylum-seekers and, fundamentally, human rights. This is a notoriously complicated field with overlapping legislation, guidance and an ever-expanding body of case-law: for every general rule, there is at least one exception. The authors of Community Care and the Law skilfully present this complex area of law with clarity but without over-simplification. They provide a detailed route map through the law and offer practical guidance on how it impacts on procedure and services. The text is usefully illustrated with flow-charts, tables and extracts from legislation.