The importance of parents and educators working together in partnership is well acknowledged throughout literature relating to children with Special Educational Needs. The terms 'parents' and 'families' are often used interchangeably by those considering the social context of the child with Special Needs. The child, the family and the professional need to be considered in the light of policy and the development of practice. Neither parents nor professionals ever have enough time to satisfy their own perceptions of what the child and one another need. Implicit in the approaches being described is the notion that parent and professional working together for the child with a dual sensory impairment will naturally participate in processes which determine appropriate educational provision and placement. The location of any dialogue between professional and parent can be potentially crucial. In pre-school provision, home visiting and home-based learning schemes are now well established in many areas.