BSL-80 Individual

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: Unigolyn | Evidence from: Individual

The need for legislation

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.

Question 1: Do you think there is a need for this legislation? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Deaf people are treated like second class citizens. People have no deaf awareness. They believe that because there is text that everyone is accounted for but the education that deaf children receive is shocking. Many adults are unable to read. They are generally placed in additional needs units where the children are largely mentally affected. Deaf people aren't mentally slower they just cannot hear. Access to education is a right they should have and it should be suitable. One school for deaf children in all of Wales from nursery to high school. That is not good enough. Charging hundreds of pounds for parents to be able to communicate with their deaf children is despicable. Every parent and child have a right to communicate with each other. Be proud of being Welsh but you are excluding deaf people and those with additional needs who struggle to communicate in English. Children in Welsh schools with additional needs end up moving to English speaking schools because there is no provision for them in Welsh speaking schools.

Going to the doctor and not being able to understand what is wrong with your body because there is no interpreter available to help. Imagine going through your life unable to communicate with people and family as generally parents have to choose which member of the family can learn bsl due to financial constraints.

Question 2: Do you agree or disagree with the goals that the Bill seeks to achieve? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes

British Sign Language

Question 3: Do you agree that the Bill should include proposals to promote and facilitate the use of BSL and its tactile forms?

Yes

Question 4: Do you agree that the Bill should support the various Welsh regional dialects of BSL?

Yes

Question 5: Do you think that the term ‘BSL users’ should be replaced with ‘BSL signers’, recognising that BSL is a language which includes both deaf and hearing signers? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Don't know.

Hearing people are confused and often think that makaton is bsl when they are completely different. By making it clearer it will help move away from makaton.

Question 6: Do you think that the term ‘deaf BSL signers’ can be used when referring to BSL users/signers who are medically or audiologically deaf? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Don't know.

I would think so but I wouldn't want to assume on behalf of those deaf people. Surely deaf people is enough of a label to possibly believe they know sign, although I know that isn't always the case as again financial constraints and audiologists pushing speech on deaf people. Even though hearing parents are told to use sign as it will help with speech parents of deaf children are told to focus on speech. They should be given all opportunities of communication as hearing aids and cochlears don't mean that they can hear.

Deaf Communities

Question 7: Do you agree or disagree that deaf communities:

a) currently have a voice in the design and delivery of the public services that they use? Please tick the answer that most applies and provide any comments.

Disagree.

I have seen police and fire people who have no deaf awareness. They thought hand outs and lip reading were fine. They couldn't even provide an interpreter for home visits to sort out deaf fire alarms. There's a local hotel that had no contingency for if there was a fire and they had a deaf guest except to go and wake them up. As a hearing person learning bsl at a deaf centre I have learnt so much about deaf awareness that I had never thought of previously. They go to hospitals, doctors, dentists, shops and there are no interpreters. The access just isn't there.

b) should have a formalised voice in the design and delivery of the public services that they use, especially ones targeted at deaf people. Please tick the answer that most applies and provide any comments.

Agree.

They should have a group that can provide deaf awareness. Not all deaf are the same. Cochlears, hearing aids, those who lip read those who don't, those who sign, those who don't. They all deserve representation but they can't have someone with a cochlear speak solely on deaf awareness as their experience and needs are different to someone who lipreads only.

Question 8: Are there any specific communication methods used by deaf people that you would like the Bill to reference/include?

Barriers that exist for deaf people

Question 9: What do you believe are the main barriers that currently exist for deaf people and/or their families in the following areas. Please tick all that apply and provide information/examples on each area:

Education; Health; Social Care; Transport; Other Public Services used by deaf people and their families; Workplace.

There is no deaf awareness and there are no interpreters and very little resources that aren't costly to provide help in communication.

Establishing a BSL Commissioner for Wales

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.

Question 10: Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to establish a BSL Commissioner for Wales, and, do you have any different suggestions or alternatives? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes

Question 11: The proposed remit of the Commissioner would be to:

§ formulate BSL standards;

§ establish a BSL Advisory Panel;

§ produce reports every 5 years in BSL, Welsh and English on the position of BSL in that period;

§ provide guidance and a process for public bodies to promote and facilitate BSL in their respective domains;

§ establish a procedure for the investigation of complaints.

Do you agree with the proposed remit of the Commissioner, and are there any other provisions you would like to include in the Commissioner’s remit? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Yes it's the least that can be done

Question 12: Do you agree that the BSL Commissioner and the BSL Advisory Panel members should be fluent users/signers?

Yes

Question 13: Do you think that the proposed BSL Commissioner and Advisory Panel should prioritise the following. Please tick all that apply and provide reasons for your answer.

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.

They are all important.

Question 14: Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to place a duty on the Welsh Government to prepare and publish an annual BSL report? Please provide reasons for your answer.

Don't know