Parenting and Inclusive Education

Parenting and Inclusive Education questions the very heart of the weak inclusive education discourse and unpacks parents' narratives in relation to denial, disappointment and social exclusion. It is written from the perspective of a sociologist and a mother of a learning disabled daughter and is about the lives of 24 parents who have negotiated, or are in the process of negotiating, the emotional and practical journey in mothering or fathering their learning 'disabled' child. The difficulties experienced affect parents, the child and the extended family, and are calculated on a continuum of 'normal' family practices, which can render the family 'disabled', difficult and excluded. Chrissie Rogers' findings reveal that while parents have been depressed, turned to alcohol, felt suicidal, suffered in their relationships and wanted to desert their children, many have also fought the health and education systems, shown resilience, set up self-help groups and, most importantly, demonstrated that their children are worth fighting for. This book will engage, parents, an academic audience, health and education practitioners, and policy makers.