The ‘miracle question’ (see Table 1) has become a signature of SFBT
and is included in the European Brief Therapy Association research
definition of SFBT (Beyebach, 2000). It is also perhaps the most
controversial part of the approach. It is potentially highly sensitive
and difficult to understand for some people. Instead many practitioners
choose to ask about a ‘preferred future’ (e.g. Stoddart et al.,
2001) with clients who had mild ID, and Neilson-Clayton and Brownlee
(2002) with cancer patients. Conversely there is a widely held view
that provided language is subtly adapted and there is a supportive
therapeutic relationship, the question is useful (de Shazer, personal
communication, 2003; McKeel, 1996). Butler and Powers (1996) used
SFBT in bereavement counselling. They suggested that it is a means of
acknowledging clients’ aspirations and grief while encouraging them to
consider possibilities for the future and to take some control. Curious
about this debate, the authors decided to ask families caring for a child
with severe ID for their views on the miracle question.