With particular emphasis on the development of special education in Slovenia, this paper discusses social care for children and adolescents with physical and mental disabilities. It is based on data obtained between 1958 and 1980 from legal documents published in the Official Journal of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (FLRJ); of the People’s Republic of Slovenia (LRS); of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ); and of the So- cialist Republic of Slovenia (SRS). The period in question is divided into the following three separate phases: the development of special schools (1958-1968); the period of special education institutes (1968-1976); and the period of special education organizations (since 1976). These periods also provide an insight into the changing financial and other forms of social assistance for people with physical and mental disabilities until 1980.V pričujočem prispevku želimo s pomočjo pravnih dokumentov, objavljenih v Uradnem listu FLRJ, LRS, SFRJ in SRS v obdobju 1958–1980, prikazati družbeno skrb za otroke in mladostnike z motnjami v telesnem in duševnem razvoju s poudarkom na razvoju posebnega šolstva v Sloveniji. Zaradi tega preučevano razdobje delimo v tri samostojne faze: razvoj posebnih šol (1958–1968), obdobje zavodov za usposabljanje (1968–1976) ter doba organizacij za usposabljanje (od leta 1976). V navedenih obdobjih lahko sledimo tudi spremembam denarnih in drugih oblik socialne pomoči, namenjenim osebam z motnjami v telesnem in duševnem razvoju do leta 1980
