Disability is nothing to be scared of (From The Northern Echo)

Disability is nothing to be scared of

12:36pm Wednesday 25th February 2009 in Staff Blogs By Matt Westcott

MY two kids are huge fans of CBeebies.

In fact, so am I, especially when I've run out of energy.

This week the network hit the headlines when parents complained about the introduction of a disabled presenter.

Cerrie Burnell has only one arm and it has been alleged that she is scaring the children.

I for one can categorically deny that my children have been affected by her appearance. Joe, who is five, mentioned it once, my wife explained why and he was quite happy with what he was told.

As a family, we regularly have to visit Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where there are children who have similar conditions and a lot worse besides. My kids have never treated them any differently to their able-bodied friends. I have always found this heartwarming, reassuring and, at times, inspiring.

The problem, as my two youngsters have proved, is not with the kids, but with the parents of the kids.

The danger is that these prejudices are then passed on by these ill-informed adults over time until their children are conditioned into thinking disabled people are somehow inferior and should be shunned.

That, for me, is the scary part.

In this day and age surely we should be beyond such prehistoric thinking.