The BSL Act Now! Campaign was led by the British Deaf Association (BDA) and has been working with several Deaf organisations such as RNID, Signature, and Sign Health, to name a few.
It successfully campaigned for the
BSL Act 2022, which came into force on 28 June and means that British Sign Language (BSL) is now legally recognised as a language in England, Wales and Scotland.
The act also requires Government departments to report on how they are promoting and facilitating the use of BSL, as well as providing them with guidance on how to meet the needs of people who use BSL as their first or preferred language.
British Sign Language is used by over 151,000 people in the UK, and despite being formally recognised by the UK Government back in 2003, it did not have full legal status which left many Deaf and Hard of Hearing people unable to access essential information and services in their preferred language. This new bill means businesses need to start facilitating the use of BSL more for customers and employees.
A key change that many Deaf people would like to see is more money for more BSL interpreters, especially in public services such as the NHS. Too often, Deaf people are forgotten and therefore put in more vulnerable situations, especially in healthcare.
Why is the BSL Act important?
Many Deaf people still experience
Audism – the belief that the ability to hear makes one superior to those with hearing loss. The BSL Act will help promote and facilitate wider knowledge of BSL to hearing people, including business owners and the general public. By increasing the conversation about BSL and making it a legally recognised language, the Deaf community will have access to more services, with more ease.
BSL is a visual language, used by Deaf people, their families, friends and professionals to communicate. It has its own grammar and syntax and has full range of linguistic elements the same as spoken languages. The BSL Act is important because it gives Deaf people the same rights as other members of the public. It means that they can access information and services in BSL, and that their language will be respected and supported.
It also means that BSL must be used in legal proceedings, education and Government. Deaf people have fought for many years for the recognition of BSL and the Act is a major step forward in ensuring their rights are protected.
The next steps for the BSL Act Now! Campaign
The
BSL Act Now! Campaign have had their first success with making British Sign Language a legal language, but it doesn’t stop there.
All the organisations that have worked on the campaign will continue to work with the UK Government to ensure an increase in
registered BSL interpreters, including ring-fenced funding for training. The working group will also set out plans to improve how Access to Work operates and will establish an advisory board where representatives of the Deaf community will advise and give guidance on public service improvements.
How can you make your business more accessible to Deaf people?
Failure to provide adequate communication options for Deaf people is discrimination and a breach of the 2010 Equality Act. Whether it’s direct or indirect organisations could find themselves facing legal proceedings or fines.
Deaf and hard of hearing people often have to work even harder to secure employment opportunities and prove their worth, mainly due to the lack of Deaf awareness among employers. Businesses and organisations should ensure Deaf awareness training is provided at all levels of the business to ensure that accessibility and inclusion is promoted throughout. Deaf people must be given the support they need to communicate in all settings and organisations have a duty of care to ensure this is carried out.
Sign Solutions can help ensure your recruitment, training, and employment processes are as accessible and inclusive as possible. We have a
package of support to guide you through the process of accessing diverse talent.
To find out more about our recruitment support services, please call on 0121 447 9620, email
bookings@signsolutions.uk.com or
contact us via a BSL video interpreter.
