The aim of this new edition is to reflect the role of all care workers who work with people with learning disabilities, and it remains a core textbook for the 'mental handicap' branch of the nursing diploma course. Although this is the third edition of this textbook, it has been completely rewritten under the new editorship of Bob Gates, lecturer at the University of Hull's Institute of Nursing. He has put together an entirely new group of contributors and introduced new chapters on helping with leisure, sexuality problems and personal relationships, advocacy, and legal questions. This is a core textbook for all nursing students who choose the 'mental handicap' branch. It is extremely practical and will be the most up-to-date textbook available to nursing students, practising nurses (especially in the community), social workers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychologists, and other health care professionals.