This book builds on a collection of papers that were presented at a symposium organised by the Family and Parenting Institute. As the title suggests, the papers reflect a multi-disciplinary perspective on the importance of sibling relationships.

A further aim is to make policy makers aware that siblings play a crucial role in the formation of social understanding and personal identity. The chapters range across a spectrum of sibling issues including their relationship across the life-span, birth order, identity, psychological development, 'mixed race' and disabilities.