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Sign Language Bill ISL Video

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    SUMMARY OF WRITTEN SUBMISSION
    FROM BRITISH DEAF ASSOCIATION
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    (NORTHERN IRELAND) –
    Sign Language Bill
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    The Northern Ireland Assembly is
    debating the Sign Language Bill.
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    To help them do this, its Communities
    Committee asked for feedback from any
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    person or group – either via video
    on WhatsApp or in writing.
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    The BDA (NI) submitted a written
    response and this is a summary of
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    what that included.
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    BDA fully agrees with the proposed new
    law with one exception (more on that later).
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    However, we are calling for the Bill to
    go even further and will give more details below.
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    1) Do you feel Clause 1 goes far enough
    in formally recognising BSL and ISL as
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    languages of Northern Ireland?
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    BDA believes yes Clause 1 of the Bill is
    strong enough. The Bill will give Sign Language
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    the same rights as other spoken languages
    such as Irish and Ulster Scots while not
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    affecting or impacting other important
    laws that might apply to an individual -
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    such as the Disability Discrimination Act
    or Human Rights Acts.
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    The Act will also bring NI in line with
    other parts of the UK where Sign Language
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    is already given equal status.
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    2) Do you feel Clause 2 goes far enough
    in promoting the use of BSL and ISL and
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    developing deaf culture?
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    BDA welcomes the approach of viewing
    signing not as a disability issue but a
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    linguistic minority matter.
    However, we notice that decisions
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    are often made in relation to deaf services
    or sign language services without meaningful
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    deaf input. We want to see a more
    robust way of including Deaf signers in
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    the process of planning, delivering and
    evaluating. We want to see a commitment
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    to invest in developing
    Deaf leadership in these areas.
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    We also welcome the proposal that
    sign language classes for families with
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    Deaf children will become
    a statutory provision.
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    BDA advised on the need for Deaf signers
    to be able to use technological advances,
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    in the same way VRS became crucial
    during the Covid pandemic and increased
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    use of BSL/ISL in the media and schools.
    We also repeated the important of
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    Deaf signers being involved and leading
    at all stages of the introduction of these
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    new ways of working.
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    We also said the Department for
    Communities should support members
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    of the deaf community to develop their
    skills and capacities towards taking
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    leadership roles in designing and
    delivering policies to implement
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    access to sign language.
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    3) Do you think the duty placed on
    prescribed organisations to make the
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    information and services accessible
    to members of the deaf community
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    is sufficient?
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    BDA acknowledge the Bill will place a
    responsibility on “prescribed” government
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    departments to draw up Action plans
    in consultation with Deaf people on what
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    should be translated, and in what
    priority order. We accept not everything
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    needs to be or can be translated,
    but Deaf signers should lead on creating
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    clear guidance on what is important.
    This is particularly true in an emergency
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    situation or crisis.
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    Interpreters should be provided at
    no extra cost to the Deaf signer and
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    this can be a mix of face-to-face
    and VRS/VRI.
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    Finally, again, BDA emphasised the
    need to involve Deaf people at all stages
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    of development and implementation,
    and for a commitment to develop Deaf leadership.
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    4) Do you support the approach taken
    by Clause 4 that DfC is responsible for
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    creating the list of public bodies
    who the Act will apply to?
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    BDA NI believes that the Department for
    Communities is best placed to do this.
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    They have a long history of working
    with the Deaf sector and will have
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    responsibilities over the
    implementation of the Bill.
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    5) Do you support the approach to
    consultation required in Clause 5 that
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    DfC must issue guidance on implementing
    the Bill through consulting with stakeholders
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    It is very important that consultation
    takes place so organisations are prepared
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    to take on their obligations under the Act.
    Although DfC will have authority to issue
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    guidance, and review guidance,
    BDA wants to see the Bill going further
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    by stating how often and when these
    consultations and reviews should happen.
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    We also ask for further clarification on
    how Deaf communities will be consulted -
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    we believe it needs both individual
    views and those of the
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    Deaf community as a whole.
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    6) Do you support the approach taken
    in this clause where DfC should give
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    best practice advised to
    various organisations?
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    BDA referred to the Irish Sign Language Act 2017:
    after three years, 52% of Irish public bodies
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    were still not aware of their responsibilities
    under the Act. To avoid this happening in
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    Northern Ireland, BDA recommends a
    robust programme of best practice guidance.
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    This way, all departments should know
    exactly what they need to do, and their
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    actions plans are produced in conjunction
    with Deaf input and there is availability of
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    both BSL and ISL interpreter
    support across NI.
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    7) Do you support the provision for
    the Department for Communities to make
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    make further regulations in the future?
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    BDA agrees that a flexible approach is
    appropriate because all organisations
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    will be on a learning journey as they
    navigate this new legislation.
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    Identifying issues and putting in
    regulations to deal with these issues
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    is practical and welcomed.
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    8) Do you feel the level of consultation
    required to bring in regulations is sufficient?
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    Yes, BDA is clear that both individuals
    and organisations representing the
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    Deaf community should be
    included in this.
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    9) Do you think evaluating the impact
    of the Bill in a report every five years is
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    an appropriate length of time?
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    BDA carefully considered what would
    be the most appropriate amount of time.
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    We took into account experience from
    both Scotland and Ireland’s implementation
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    of their legislation. We believe 5 years
    is a reasonable time period, but we think
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    there should be annual reports
    submitted to DfC during this 5 year period
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    to highlight any issues and
    allow remedial action.
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    10) Do you support the creation of a
    scheme for accrediting BSL and ISL teachers?
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    There is a need for a scheme for
    BSL/ISL teachers and assessors.
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    We recommend it is based on one
    of two successful models already in existence:
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    the Association of British Sign Language
    Teachers and Assessors (ABSLTA);
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    or the National Registers of Communication
    Professionals Working with Deaf and Deafblind
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    (UK) (NRCPD). A separate scheme for
    supporting deaf teachers would be very
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    valuable. This can offer networking,
    sharing of ideas, support etc.
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    Creating a list of qualified teachers that
    could identify if they teach ISL or BSL,
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    what levels, what ages etc would be
    very useful for people, schools,
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    and families seeking this service.
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    *Do you support the creation of a
    scheme for accrediting BSL and ISL interpreters?
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    This is the one area mentioned in the
    introduction where BDA does NOT
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    support the suggested wording.
    This is because it implies creating a whole
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    new scheme for accreditation.
    BDA says there is already a system that
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    covers the whole of the UK and is
    fit for purpose - the National Registers of
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    Communication Professionals Working
    with Deaf and Deafblind People (UK) (NRCPD).
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    Creating a second new scheme specifically
    for Northern Ireland is an unnecessary duplication
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    which could cause confusion.
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    11) Do you agree with the definition of the
    deaf community provided for in the Bill?
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    BDA is conscious of the sensitivity in
    use of language here. There is no formal
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    definition of ‘deaf community’ and no
    deaf person has to view themselves as part of it.
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    For the purpose of this Bill, we believe
    the proposed wording is appropriate.
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    12) Do you agree with the definition
    of BSL and ISL provided for in the Bill?
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    Yes, BDA agrees with the definitions.
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    13) Do you agree with the definition
    of “everyday reliance” provided in the Bill?
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    BDA supports the proposed definition.
    But we want to make it clear that many
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    deaf people face barriers every day
    stemming from communication issues.
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    These issues exist even within families,
    for example where deaf children are born
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    to hearing families. The importance of
    programmes such as Family Signing
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    in the Home is absolutely critical for
    giving the best start to the next generation
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    of deaf children and importantly,
    for supporting their families too.
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    NI Deaf communities have a wide and
    rich range of variations in personal
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    circumstances and in their individual
    language journeys, and BDA agrees the
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    definition is inclusive for all.
Title:
Sign Language Bill ISL Video
Video Language:
Sign Languages
Duration:
17:10
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 11:26 AM
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 11:22 AM
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 11:19 AM
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 11:11 AM
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 11:04 AM
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 9:45 AM
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 9:34 AM
British Deaf Association edited English subtitles for Sign Language Bill ISL Video May 22, 2025, 9:14 AM
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