Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament
Bil Aelod Arfaethedig – Mark Isherwood AS | Proposed Member Bill - Mark Isherwood MS
Datblygu'r Bil Iaith Arwyddion Prydain (BSL) (Cymru) | Development of the British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill
Ymateb gan: Cyngor Sir Ceredigion - Gwasanaeth Sensori | Evidence from: Ceredigion County Council - Sensory Service
The British Sign Language Act 2022 requires the UK Government to issue guidance about the promotion and facilitation of the use of British Sign Language (BSL). This however only applies in England and not to the Welsh Government or public bodies in Wales such as councils or the NHS. The British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill aims to place equivalent specific duties on the Welsh Government and public bodies in Wales.
Yes. As we are a rural county, many services so not have the awareness of how to make their service accessible. This means that BSL users experience significant barriers when trying to access essential services (e.g. healthcare). The legislation will provide guidance and advice to public bodies so BSL users can access services equitably. Many BSL users are unable to access health and public services due to the communication barriers. This Bill will not only provide guidance and advice for Deaf BSL users to the WG and public services, it will also monitor and establish a form of accountability to ensure the bill is implemented to full effect and thus, bring access for BSL users more in line with the hearing community/users of other minority languages.
Agree. It is essential that the BSL advisory panel consists of deaf BSL users who have experienced communication difficulties first hand and who have a full understanding of deaf culture/identity.
The statutory obligation to report every 5 years will help monitor the effect of the Bill and identify areas that need further focus/monitoring. It will also provide a form of accountability which will hopefully remove resistance or apathy from services which can occur when costs are involved.
It is also essential that BSL users have a complaints procedure that is fully accessible, which to date, has been lacking and therefore has most likely skewed results i.e. prevented the full extent of issues from being established.
Yes
Yes
No.
This question should be be put to the deaf community. ‘Users’ is a broader definition.
No.
As above
Strongly disagree
Strongly agree.
It essential that the geography of Wales is considered when making decisions and that BSL users in remote communities are represented.
Easy-read written text should be available as an option for deaf BSL users to remove complex grammatical structures used by health and public services.
It should also be recognised that lip reading is an important element of BSL.
Some BSL users also need subtitles made available to support understanding when regional differences are widely used.
Sign Support English and visuals (e.g. widget)
Education; Health; Social Care; Transport; Other Public Services used by deaf people and their families; Workplace.
Education - integration and inclusion. Communication with peers. Lack of understanding of deaf culture. Access to deaf identity. Access to mainstream lessons - sufficient/appropriate support in schools. It is challenging to find Communication Support Workers who have the required level BSL and Welsh to work with Deaf learners in Welsh Medium Schools.
Health - Communication barriers - families often rely on family members/friends to help interpret in medical/services appointments. Making bookings/appointments are inaccessible as often there are no online/text options. Medical/legal/WG letters are often inaccessible due to grammatical language being too complex - easy-read options? Audio messages/announcements used in surgeries/hospitals are inaccessible to BSL users. It is challenging for BSL users to make an appointment with their GP and often are not provided with a BSL interpreter for medical appointments.
Transport - announcements are often audio only - i.e. cancellations/updates or emergency announcements. Transport information is becoming more BSL friendly in England with QR codes being available on transport in some areas - this needs to be made available in Wales.
Social care - In this area there is not a social care team specifically for Sensory Impaired adults/learners.
Workplace - communication barriers - the majority of deaf BSL users are self-employed but still rely on family members to help with access to services etc. lack of awareness creates barriers in the workplace and fewer career opportunities for BSL users.
Other - shops and public places are often excluding BSL uses due to communication barriers- key information (BSL videos) via QR codes would go some way to helping. Check outs stations/tills should all provide screens so that the payment system is visual for deaf BSL users - often payments are made without deaf BSL users knowing the cost of items until they receive the receipt and then communication barriers prevent them from questioning/complaining.
The Bill proposes to establish a BSL Commissioner who would promote and facilitate the use of BSL, and would have the same powers as other minority language Commissioners such as in the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.
Yes
We agree with this, however feel that the Commissioner should ensure that all communities across Wales are represented.
To work closely with the NDCS as well as appropriate adult services.
Collaborative working between Local Authorities.
Commissioner should also encourage smaller authorities to work collaboratively to provide improved access to services.
Establish a panel of regional representatives who then report to the commissioner annually so that each region is fully represented - i.e. a small rural community will have very different issues to large populated regions.
Provide advisory board for deaf BSL users to access for support when making complaints, as many complaints are not logged due to communication barriers/complex system in place.
It is essential that the BSL advisory panel consists of deaf BSL users who have experienced communication difficulties first hand and who have a full understanding of deaf culture/identity.
The statutory obligation to report every 5 years will help monitor the effect of the Bill and identify areas that need further focus/monitoring. It will also provide a form of accountability which will hopefully remove resistance or apathy from services which can occur when costs are involved.
It is also essential that BSL users have a complaints procedure that is fully accessible, which to date, has been lacking and therefore has most likely skewed results i.e. prevented the full extent of issues from being established.
Yes
Enabling deaf users/signers to lead the development of policies and implementation of services for BSL users/signers; Early years language support for deaf children and their families; Improving BSL provision in education; Access to interpreters in public services.
a) Yes - understanding of the issues faced and deaf culture. The Quality Standards for Children and Young People with Sensory Impairment are out of date and require amending. The Advisory Panel should work with the NDCS, BATOD and Heads of Sensory Services to update the current Quality Standards to reflect the current education picture in Wales.
b) Yes - to remove the language gap in DCYP (i.e. Compared to hearing peers) and help support communication in families of deaf children.
c) Yes - to help facilitate greater inclusion in schools and promote deaf identity and improve self-esteem and confidence in DCYP.
d) Yes - to facilitate full access to all public services.
Yes.
To support the development of the bill and quickly identify areas that require further focus/development. It will keep the needs of the BSL Community at the forefront of Welsh Government decisions.
More opportunities for the Deaf Community to be created by collaborative working between smaller counties.
Reconsideration of the implementation of the BSL GCSE in Wales with a greater emphasis on Deaf Identity and History. The delay of the BSL GCSE means that there are lost opportunities to raise awareness. It would be beneficial if the BSL Commissioner could be involved in this to emphasise the importance of this.
To support remote/rural communities to liaise with those in surrounding communities.