Towards ending the silence: working women as carers of children with chronic illness/disability

Abstract

This research presents stories from Australian women who work and care for a child with a significant chronic illness or disability. The paper considers the theory of Silencing the Self (Jack, 1991) in relation to the reported experiences and behaviours of these women. We report three themes of Caring and Working: &quot;Otherness&quot;, &quot;Doing it All&quot; - but &quot;Wanting to Live a Normal Life&quot;. As in Jack\u27s study, these women engaged in silencing of the self. However, we also observed other people contributing to their silence and, unlike the respondents in Jack\u27s study, many of these women fought the silence and did not accept that their unhappy situations should continue. They sought a life where silencing may not have been necessary.<br /