A training manual to enable professionals to run educationally based groups for parents with learning disabilities has been widely welcomed

Whereas there used to be a general consensus that people with learning disabilities could not and should not become parents (Thurman et al 1985), growing numbers of people with learning disabilities are now choosing to live an ‘ordinary life’ and have children (Booth and Booth 1994). It is, however, recognised that there is some association between intellectual capacity and parenting ability, as parents with learning disabilities often come to the attention of health and social services because of lack of personal resources to care adequately for themselves and for their children (Andron and Tymchuk 1987).