Negotiating the normative: the other normal for mothers of disabled children

This study explores how mothers who care for a disabled child negotiate the social exclusion they experience. It utilizes constraint theory and explores the strategies mothers used to negotiate constraints. Whilst not all constraints were negotiated, it was apparent that mothers of a disabled child did manage to negotiate a range of constraints they faced, and that their negotiations were akin to those identified in the constraint negotiation literature. Findings from the study provide us with a greater insight into the nature of constraints faced by mothers of disabled children, and in particular the ways they negotiate these constraints. Another finding of interest was that the negotiation of constraints did provide some positive outcomes for the mother. More research that explores these positive aspects associated with caring for a disabled child is required. Refereed/Peer-reviewed