This is a book written mainly for parents although it should also be of interest to professionals in health, social services and education. It considers the issues and dilemmas facing the parents of people with learning disabilities particularly the need to balance our protective concern for our children's vulnerability with their rights to be sexual beings. It defines sexuality in terms much wider than sex. It is a short book (120 pages) and is written in a warm, approachable style yet it took me a long time to read it. The authors set out to make the reader stop and think, and they succeed. This is a powerful book: always thought-provoking, often challenging, sometimes disturbing, occasionally upsetting. For me as the parent of a 16 year old, it was something of an emotional rollercoaster, but I felt better for reading it. It generally avoids making judgements and will not provide you with easy answers to questions. Instead there is a lot of sound advice and practice, illustrated by case studies drawn from the authors' experience of working with children and young people and their families.

An early message from the book is that sexuality is not an issue to be left until adolescence. It needs to be addressed right from the start. The argument is convincing; I would recommend this book to any parents whatever their child's age.

Brendan Kitchen, Sheffield Regional Development Officer of the Down's Syndrome Association.