The Big Question

Is it ever right to stunt the growth of a child to make careing for them easier?

EVE RANK – Inspired Services
They are not treating this disabled girl with dignity or respect. This is being done for the convenience of carers, just to accommodate them. Not being allowed to grow up will mean she is not treated as an adult. Everyone knows how they are being treated and can respond in some way, even if it is a glint in the eye when treated properly.

LEN SMITH – Gypsy activist
This is appalling. It smacks to me of the purposeful disfigurement of children to enhance their potential as beggars. I can empathise with the parental desire to make choices for the betterment of an impaired child’s future, but, deny it or not, this is for someone’s convenience, be it a parent’s or for another carer’s.

KERRY EVANS – Parent of two autistic children
My son needs intensive care which sometimes has been impossible to obtain, but I would never alter him to make it easier for him to obtain care. Does infringing  someone’s human rights justify a perception that their life will improve? We should not change people because they are hard to care for but improve systems.

ANGIE LAWRENCE – Single mother
The operation on Ashley was performed to improve the chances of her being able to be cared for by her parents at home, and also to make her life easier. It has been viewed by many as “interfering with nature”. Most medical treatment interferes with nature in order to improve a person’s life, such as cancer treatment – do we say no to these?