Growing Up with Disability encompasses a wide range of perspectives on childhood impairment and its social implications. The book adopts a child-centred approach, stressing the importance of communicating with disabled children, and includes interviews and pieces of their own writing. Pre-school and school age children describe their behaviour and feelings within their own families, substitute families, and residential homes. The book explores how such children can best be protected, and how their quality of life can be improved. Using the social model of disability which identifies the barriers to inclusion, contributors give examples of progressive practice, and examine the aspirations of young disabled people, their friendships, and how they come to terms with adolescence and the transition to adulthood.
Theoretical perspectives on research with disabled children, Tom Shakespeare; an historical perspective, Maureen Oswin; early intervention - the eternal triangle? issues relating to parents, professionals and children, Caroline Jones; the pre-school years, Janet Read and June Stratham; children's experiences of school, Linda Shaw; parents and family - disabled women's stories about thier childhood experiences, Carol Thomas; leisure and friendship, Judith Cavet; quality of life for children and young people with serious medical conditions, Alison Closs; disabled children and child protection, Helen Westcott; group advocacy in a residential setting, Chailey Young People's Group with Sue Virgo; disabled children in permanent substitute families, Rena Phillips; young people's aspirations, The Leighton Project with Simon Grant and Daisy Cole; the dynamics of transition to adulthood, Sheila Riddell.
This book provides a comprehensive and innovative contribution to the literature in this area. It embraces all aspects of growing up with a disability, and succinctly examines the complexities and realities of life as a disabled child. Each chapter is clear and concise, and takes the reader step by step through the varying stages of growing up with a disability from a child-centred approach. Chapters four, six, eight and nine would provide particularly helpful discussions of the salient issues relating to children with disabilities. Overall, this material would serve as a useful resource for researchers, students and academics. Additionally, this text would be an excellent handbook for policy makers and practitioners working with disabled children and their families.
