BARBADOS NEEDS to become more disabled-friendly, especially with regard to children with conditions such as cerebral palsy.

President of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Althea Applewhaite, in making the charge, said there were not enough places to put children of a certain age who could not move their arms and legs.

"It is very unfair for a child to have to stay at home just because they cannot walk or talk. We talk about children's rights; so it is not right for this to happen," she said, speaking to the Press yesterday at the Children's Development Centre, where she is also the public relations officer of its
Parent-Teacher Association.

Applewhaite said there were facilities for children under five, but older ones who could not move or feed themselves either had to go to the Challenor Creative Arts and Training Centre or go home, a situation she described as too hard on the parents.

"It is too expensive to hire someone trained to take care of those types of children; but you still need to work and pay bills.

"These children have dreams and goals too but some get taken advantage of or get involved with drugs when left at home. They need something to do to feel a sense of worth," she said.

Applewhaite, herself a mother of a child with cerebral palsy, said she hoped her four-year-old son Kobe would be accepted into Challenor or she would be forced to stay home.

She said the centre had been trying to meet with former Minister of Health Jerome Walcott, but was unable to do so.

"I would be appreciative if the new minister [David Estwick] would meet with us to discuss our proposals," she said. (CA)