ABSTRACT
This chapter describes some of the obstacles to the use of effective contraception in England. It tries to find out how people can be informed and helped to have the number of children they want at the time they want. The chapter concentrates on the last of these: it looks at the information, advice and help about contraception that is given to parents of young children and describes the barriers to more adequate and acceptable services. It views the services from the point of view of clients and potential clients and of some of the professional people who may offer help or advice: general practitioners, health visitors and staff at family planning clinics. The chapter focuses on the mothers and fathers of a random sample of babies because they are obviously potential clients of family planning services. It also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.
