It is important right at the outset to define the problem about which we are concerned and its dimensions.

I have to take some issue with the reference to the “migrant family”.

In a multi-cultural society such as ours we must recognise that we, the non-Aboriginal people, are all migrants of one generation or seven.

Over the past twenty years, concepts and ideas about the care of the intellectually handicapped have been changing. These changes are largely based on the principle of “normalisation” which originated in Scandinavia and in essence implies that the intellectually handicapped should experience as nearly as possible, and in keeping with their special needs and capabilities, normal community living (Nirge).

A service offering artificial insemination with Donor semen (A.I.D.) commenced in June 1976 at the Royal Women's Hospital. This service was established mainly because adoption is no longer readily available to anyone with problems of infertility, the number of adoptable children having been dramaticaly reduced over the last 3 years. Twenty-five percent of infertile couples are so due to the husband's infertility. With the advent of programmes such as at the Royal Women's Hospital, these couples are able to consider an alternative means to having a family, especially if they can extend their view of parenthood beyond the biological aspect, to the rearing of children.

In the research report Welfare of Migrants (1975), it was noted that all the ethnic groups surveyed were deeply concerned about the problem of “culture conflict”, which was seen as a generation gap in which cultural differences were significant in producing conflict. For the social worker the anxiety, tension and intra-psychic confusion, which this paper attempts to describe, indicates that it offers an important and challenging area for social work concern and involvement.

The sense of alienation, despair and hardship experienced by individual migrant families is often forgotten when discussions of migrant problems focus on general issues. This is an account of the experiences of one Greek family with two sons. The oldest, aged eight at the time, was healthy and progressing well at school unlike his younger brother who, although attending kindergarten was 'not talking'. Their parents, both factory workers, were migrants from rural Greece who had high expectations for their future in their new homeland. Unfortunately, life was to be fraught with misfortune. Not the least of this misfortune was a direct result of the insensitive welfare, medical and educational services of this state.