ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses whether the handicapped teenagers had been out with members of the opposite sex, whether they wished to do so, how much knowledge they had about intercourse and contraception, and what kind of worries they had about mixing with the opposite sex. Teenagers of course depend heavily upon their parents as well as their schools for information of this kind and so the parents were also asked about their own fears and about whether they had had any genetic counselling. This chapter also discusses the responses of the teenagers and their parents to a number of questions relating to marriage and children. All the teenagers attending ordinary schools had able-bodied boy- or girlfriends, as did five of the six pupils in day special schools. The parents again appeared to appreciate the teenagers’ aspirations about parenthood; although one-third said they didn’t know what their child thought about this, especially if their child was severely handicapped.
