First Published in 1999. This book is designed to be useful to practitioners working with children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). It was born out of a need for a practically-based text book for participants on a course devoted to the study of PMLD but became a project to provide discussion of interest to anyone wishing to reflect on their work in this field. It is hoped that the nineteen chapters in this book will provide a broad ranging resource for practitioners who work with children and/or adults with PMLD in education, health, social care and voluntary settings and for those studying on advanced courses.

Part I Personal; Chapter 1 Positive Health: A Collective Responsibility, Christine Hutchinson; Chapter 2 Physical Management, John Liz Goldsmith; Chapter 3 Sensory Needs, Norman Brown, Mike McLinden, Jill Porter; Chapter 4 Personal Needs and Independence, Jenny Miller; Part II Social; Chapter 5 Assessing and Developing Successful Communication, Helen Bradley; Chapter 6 Making Relationships, Carol Ouvry; Chapter 7 Sexuality: Challenges and Dilemmas, Caroline Downs; Chapter 8 Challenging Behaviour is Normal, Dave Hewett; Part III Learning; Chapter 9 Accounting for Learning and Failure to Learn in People with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, Mark Barber, Juliet Goldbart; Chapter 10 Teaching and Learning for Children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Claire Marvin; Chapter 11 Person Centred Planning, Helen Sanderson; Chapter 12 Managing the Learning Environment, Richard Byers; Chapter 13 Technology for Living and Learning, Jennifer Taylor; Part IV Community; Chapter 14 Supporting Families, Loretto Lambe; Chapter 15 Advocacy and Empowerment: What Does it Mean for Pupils and People with PMLD?, Christina Tilstone, Celine Barry; Chapter 16 Community Integration and Ordinary Lifestyles, Roy McConkey; Chapter 17 Addressing Equality in the Provision of Services to Black People with PMLD, Robina Shah; Chapter 18 Leisure and the Arts, Judith Cavet, Penny Lacey; Chapter 19 Community Based Rehabilitation in Developing Countries, Alice Bradley;