Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

Constructing 'normal childhoods': young people talk about young carers

O'Dell, L., Crafter, S., Abreu, G. d. and Cline, T. (2010) Constructing 'normal childhoods': young people talk about young carers. Disability & Society. 25(6), pp. 643-655. 0968-7599.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: There has been a great deal of attention paid to young carers in recent research, social policy and service provision. In this paper we report on a survey and interview study of 46 young people aged 15 to 18, nine of whom had experience as young carers, to explore the ways in which young people construct the young carer and their disabled parent. A key theme arising from the interview data analysis is the construction of a series of normative assumptions about ‘normal’ childhood through which young carers and their disabled parent are viewed as non-normative and deficient. The predominantly negative construction of both parent and child/carer is critically analyzed and alternatives suggested in the discussion of these findings
Uncontrolled Keywords: Young carers, childhood, normative childhoods
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Women > HQ767 Children. Child development
H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Women > HQ793 Youth. Adolescents. Teenagers
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV1551 People with disabilities
Creators: O'Dell, Lindsay, Crafter, Sarah, Abreu, Guida de and Cline, T
Funders or Sponsors: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Projects: Young People's Representations of Conflicting Roles in Child Development - RES-000-22-0549-A
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > The Centre for Children and Youth
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > School of Social Sciences (to 2016)
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Group > Social and Cultural Research in Psychology Group
Research Centres > Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences
Date: 2010
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: pp. 643-655
Journal or Publication Title: Disability & Society
Volume: 25
Number: 6
Language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2010.505734
ISSN: 0968-7599
Status: Published / Disseminated
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/2953

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