What we want to achieve

Aimed at the children's book world In The Picture wants disabled children to be able to find themselves represented in early years' books.

Disabled children often find themselves isolated from wider society as a result of their impairment. The project aims to overcome this isolation by putting disabled children "in the picture" in two important ways:

• Picture books, to ensure disabled children are more visible in mainstream literature.

• Improved communication, to give children the means to understand their condition and experiences.

Picture Books

We shall be working with illustrators, writers and publishers to ensure that young disabled children become more visible in children's literature. We want to see images of disabled children being good, naughty, happy, sad, right and wrong - everything that children can be.

We have begun work with families and illustrators to promote good practice and create illustrated stories and an image bank to inspire and encourage other illustrators and publishers.

Improved Communication

In The Picture will also look at how organisations working with disabled children deliver information to children and their families. We have recently completed and published a research report "Sharing information with disabled children in the early years" which you can download here.

Based on the findings of this research we aim to build a range of materials which will demonstrate ways to put the child ?in the picture? as well as the parent, and share this good practice via workshops around the country. Click here to find out more.

The ten guiding principles of In The Picture are rooted in the social model of disability and underpin the project.

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