ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses perceptions and experiences of impairment and disability from the perspectives of learning disabled children, their parents and their social workers. The author reports on findings from her doctoral study that adults often fail to take into account the views and experiences of learning disabled children. As a result, these children developed their own interpretations of impairment and disability based on their experiences and interactions with others. Whilst this indicates that they are active social interpreters, it also suggests that adults should make greater efforts to inform and consult learning disabled children. The chapter reflects on the relevance of these findings to contemporary theories of disability and childhood. The experiences and views of children underline the relevance of the sociology of childhood and disability theory to their life worlds. Intertwining disability theory with the sociology of childhood can allow more eclectic consideration of the varied and complex nature of disabled childhood.
