Frau Planck is a 35-year-old single mother who lives with four of her children on an estate. Her youngest son, David (aged two), who had a stroke as a baby and is tube-fed, is frequently in hospital. He receives developmental therapy two hours per week at home. Frau Planck is supposed to repeat the exercises with him three times a day.

Frau Planck left home at 15, married at 19 and had her eldest daughter at 21. Her daughter was brought up by her own parents, whom Frau Planck is currently fighting for custody. Her Turkish partner, the father of three of her children, including David, visits intermittently and gives financial support when he is in the country.

Her greatest support is a community group for younger women. Frau Planck is the only member of the group with a disabled child, but she feels accepted by them, though more generally she feels isolated and discriminated against, because of David's disabilities and because her children are half-Turkish.

Mrs Elliot, who is 60, cares for her 29-year-old grandson Michael, who has learning disabilities and is now developing progressive blindness and epilepsy. He attends a daycentre five days a week.

Having emigrated from Jamaica in the 1960s, Mrs Elliot's family has lived in London's East End for most of their lives. When her daughter became pregnant at 14, Mrs Elliot kept the child. Her daughter then emigrated to the United States in the early 1970s. In the 1980s, Mrs Elliot divorced her husband.

From her wages as a home machinist, she struggles to support herself, her grandson and (until her recent death) her mother. She works long hours to make ends meet, and does not get out a lot. A small network of friends keeps her company while she is working, and she has good links with the local carers’ group and with Michael's day centre. She and Michael have a close relationship and, especially since her daughter recently came back to Britain and now lives with them, Mrs Elliot sees no need to change her arrangements in any way.