Christine McGuinness has told how a man wrongly accused her of illegally parking in a disabled space.
Christine McGuinness
The 33-year-old model - who has three children, who are autistic, with her husband Paddy - has a blue badge for parking, and she urged people to "be kinder to each other" rather than jumping to conclusions.
Appearing on ITV’s 'Tonight' programme 'Hidden Disabilities: What’s the Truth?', she said: "It was quite intimidating.
“The man said I wasn’t disabled, my children aren’t disabled, so 'Why are you parked in a disabled space?'
“I take any opportunity to educate people on autism. But there’s a time and a place and it’s not when I’m in a car park on my own with three children.
"We all need to remember to be kinder to each other. If there’s a blue badge in the window, just believe they’re entitled to be parked there.”
Christine - who has twins Penelope and Leo, seven, and four-year-old Felicity - explained her son's behaviour is "unpredictable" and his anxiety can sometimes result in meltdowns when they are trying to find a space to park.
And she knows other parents who have "given up" applying for a blue badge due to the difficult application process and the fact it has to be done every three years.
She added: "It’s quite disheartening to know I have to go through this same battle in three years’ time.”
The programme also looks at "hidden" disabilities and how they are questioned when it comes to ability to work or the use of disabled facilities.
MP Debbie Abrahams said: "People with hidden disabilities have the added difficulty of proving they need support.
"There is not always the expertise that’s needed, for example from the health assessors, to understand their clinical conditions.”
'Hidden Disabilities: What’s The Truth? Tonight' airs Thursday (05.08.21) on ITV at 7.30pm.
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