Harmful stereotypes about parents with learning difficulties can profoundly impact how support is provided and received, writes Rachel Mayes.

For the majority of women without disabilities, discovering they are pregnant and embarking on the journey to motherhood is an exciting time. In contrast, a large proportion of women with learning difficulties face opposition from family, friends and professionals when they become mothers. It is estimated that 1 to 2 per cent of families with children under 17 are headed by a parent with a learning difficulty. A great number of the concerns raised about these parents are based on myth, rather than fact. Some of these include: that they will have significantly more children than other parents;...