Disabled children's lives have often been discussed through medical concepts of disability
rather than concepts of childhood. Western understandings of childhood have defined disabled
children against child development 'norms' and have provided the rationale for segregated or
'special' welfare and education provision. In contrast disabled children's childhood studies
begins with the view that studies of children's impairment are not studies of their childhoods.
Disabled children's childhood studies demands ethical research practices that position disabled
children and young people at the centre of the inquiry outside of the shadow of perceived
'norms'. The Palgrave Handbook of Disabled Children's Childhood Studies will be of interest to
students and scholars across a range of disciplines as well as practitioners in health
education social work and youth work.
