In this article, the authors aim to develop a better understanding among practitioners of the issues faced by fathers of children with a learning disability, and suggest how schools can involve the parents who are regarded by many as ‘hard to reach’. They recontextualize the roles and perceptions of fathers in the light of outcomes from the recent ‘Recognising Fathers’ report published by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities. Following an introduction to Government policy and literature relating to fathers, the outcomes of semi‐structured interviews conducted with 21 fathers in the course of the ‘Recognising Fathers’ study are summarized in terms of the emotional impact, the roles and responsibilities, the impact on fathers’ paid employment, support and father–practitioner interaction. The article concludes with practical suggestions for how practitioners might meet the needs of fathers in their own schools and provide them with an effective support network.

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most common non-genetic cause of learning disability, affecting around 1% of live births in Europe, and costing an estimated $2.9 million per individual across their lifespan. In adulthood, non-reversible brain damage is often compounded by secondary disabilities in adulthood, such as mental health problems and drug addiction. The challenge for today's educators is: 'How do we teach children with FASD?' Their unusual style of learning and their extreme challenging behaviour is out of the experience of many teachers. This article, written by Professor Barry Carpenter, OBE, National Director of the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Research Project, considers the status of FASD in the UK, and provides an overview of the author's recent research into effective educational strategies within the framework of Every Child Matters. Only government-led approaches can lead to improvements in the quality of teaching and learning for children with FASD and their future life chances.

A dramatic rise in the survival rates of children born with disabilities (particularly those born prematurely) has been reported in the last decade. The nature of their disabilities is, at times, significantly different from that previously reported, posing problems for the families attempting to nurture the development of these children. Barry Carpenter, Chief Executive of Sunfield, considers the needs of the self‐defining family, the implications for interdisciplinary practice, and the changing pattern of early childhood disability. He asks a fundamental question: ‘How can professionals sustain the family of a child with disabilities?'

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