What would be interesting in a programme would be a child with a disability
engaged in stories where the disability was not the central issue. It really
annoys many children I know who have disabilities of one kind or another,
that they are never portrayed as having lives other than focused on their
disabilties. Younger children especially do not see themselves that way.
They lead just as interesting and varied lives as any other children. Deaf
children explore their creative potential much as any other children.
Children with cystic fibrosis similarly, even in treatment centres. Why do
we see a need to pull back from stories of children to offer an adult view
in a programme aimed at an audience of children? The intention may be to
show children that they live in a wider world than that of their immediate
experience. The effect is to dilute that experience and to diminish it.

I get the impression that the inclusion of children with disabilities in
programmes is handled with far too much adult perspective. As adults, we
find it difficult to imagine a life with a disability in which that
disability was not central to every moment of our existence. We amplify that
message to children generally. It is not a particularly helpful message for
any child.

Stephen Rennie, Leeds Metropolitan University
[log in to unmask]

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Roger Singleton-Turner [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
	Sent:	Sunday, May 30, 1999 6:36 PM
	To:	The Children and Media Network
	Subject:	Disability representation

	There is so much to do and to say on the topic of disability that a
fairly short email can hardly do more than open a few doors to rooms full of
questions - and I hardly dare comment at all because I know how little I
know of the subject of disability. However:
	 
	On UK TV for children (and TV in general) representation of the
disabled has been poor in quantity and of patchy quality.
	 
	Budgets limit time. 
	 
	Finding good child actors is very time-consuming. 
	 
	If you have a pre-existing script featuring a disabled child,
finding a good child actor with a particular disability of the appropriate
age, sex and race and stamina is even more time-consuming. 
	 
	It would make sense to create a part round a disabled child who
could act, and write to that person's circumstances. I have the impression
that is how the last 'disabled' character entered 'Grange Hill', but I could
be wrong. 
	 
	Casting any individual because of a particular physical or mental
attribute rather than because of an ability (and a willingness) to act is, I
suspect, of dubious value to anyone.
	 
	Excuses? Maybe. Fact? Certainly.
	 
	Aspects of safety can also inhibit taking up specific storylines.
	 
	There are an awful lot of raw nerves out there, understandably. So I
think many of us (in the business) shy away from tackling problems we do not
a) understand properly and b) have time to research thoroughly.
	 
	It is all very complex. For instance, it is not true that Film & TV
people would not cast people of no disability to play disabled characters.
Look at Daniel Day-Lewis in 'My Left Foot', or look at all the
representations there have been of schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder. I
put it to you that there is a lack of consistency about what is considered
'correct' in terms of casting, at least.
	 
	I'll stop digging, now, but I'd be interested to read comments.
	 
	Roger Singleton-Turner
	(Freelance Producer/director specialising in Children's Drama)


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%