The second in a series on cleft lip and palate, this article outlines the diagnosis of these congenital anomalies, the problems that a child with a cleft lip and/or palate and their family may encounter in the first five years of life, and the multidisciplinary care needed. The input of individual members of the cleft team is described, including nurse specialists, speech and language therapists, paediatric dentists, ear, nose and throat surgeons, and audiologists.