Child and parent relationships with teachers in schools responsible for the education of children with serious medical conditions

Terminology is problematic in areas of overlap between illness and disability (Barnes & Mercer 1996) but prior discussion with families, voluntary organisations, educational and other professionals indicated that uncertainties about the future health and abilities of children might be a key issue in educational responses. Therefore the research was limited to concerns about children whose conditions were not ‘static’ but were fl uctuating or deteriorating, both physically and cognitively.