The development of family education in the field of intellectual deficiency involves the participation of the parents in the decisions concerning their children. This article analyses some constraints in the communication between professionals, health care providers, and parents. The difficulties are identified in families of adolescents and adults. The professionals tend to neglect the needs and the resources of the families. Constraints in the provision of services are also targeted. From the point of view of parents, the obstacles are made of complex attitudes, feelings and disagreements with the services. These difficulties are analysed in the conceptual framework of the partnership.