Being a ‘good’ parent is challenging for anyone, but if you have a disability those challenges may be increased and more complicated. In this issue parents share their experiences of adapting to the particular barriers facing them in their quest to be a ‘good’ parent. One author calls for mainstream childcare products to be designed with all parents in mind.

We often feature deaf parenting. Many deaf people whose first or preferred language is British Sign Language consider themselves part of the Deaf community, and may describe themselves as ‘Deaf’ with a capital ‘D’ to empathise with their Deaf identity. We use the terms that authors themselves choose.

At the heart of our challenges may be issues about attitudes, policy, language or inclusion. If only the designers and planners in our society would adapt their thinking and planning to the needs of disabled parents, how much easier it would be to overcome the social, physical and environmental barriers that face us.

Christine Winwood

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