We are extremely disappointed at the furore created around children's television presenter Cerrie Burnell's missing arm and the prejudice she has faced because she was born with a disability.
Many of our own students suffer from severe and complex disabilities and have aspirations to go into the public eye, so what kind of message does this send to them? Seeing people like Cerrie in the mainstream should be viewed as normal but instead she has been subject to adult ignorance. At our school, young people regularly go into the town centre, where they are accepted as part of the local community - as they should be - and other mainstream schools in the area where they have found other children to be receptive and understanding. We find the attitudes between adults and children differ greatly. The familiarity of disabilities needs to start in the home to break down these barriers.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
