Disability, the Family, and Society: Listening to Mothers

/pas5/ Circumstances dictate that many mothers play a central role in the upbringing of their disabled children. Mothers and children often find themselves involved in an unusually intimate and protracted relationship. This book explores mothers' perspectives about the ways that they find themselves acting as mediators between their children and a world that can be hostile to their interests. It takes as its starting point a study in which mothers from diverse backgrounds detail the ways in which they attempt to represent their children to the world, and the world to their children in both formal and informal interactions. They describe challenging discussions with children and other family members as well as battles and negotiations elsewhere. Their particular experiences and perspectives are linked to wider research and theory on motherhood and caring, the life patterns of disabled children and their families, and the discrimination faced by disabled children and adults.Disability, the Family and Society will be of interest to students of disability studies, sociology, women's studies, social policy and social and community work.

Janet Read is lecturer in applied social studies at the University of Warwick.