The paper reviews the effects of a handicapped child upon parents and families in terms of adjustment responses, stress, behavior and role change, divorce, economic functions, and general coping and support systems. Professionals desiring to enhance parent involvement must first be sensitive to the parent's emotional well-being and must be able to help parents deal with critical incidents involved in the child's care. The importance of empathy and trust is emphasized, as is the ability to convey clear and accurate information and referrals to appropriate resources. The paper concludes with an annotated bibliography listing 20 books and manuals describing approaches for working with parents. (CL)