Contact a Family – not just a red book!

This article considers the place of the charity Contact a Family as a major provider of information and support to families caring for a child with any kind of disability or additional support need. It examines parents’ needs for access to good quality information and outlines the ways in which Contact a Family can provide this both for the parents and the professionals who support them. The role of the paediatric project - Parents and Paediatricians Together - is also described and the ways in which this new initiative between the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and Contact a Family can facilitate the parent-professional partnership.