Andiamo! Commissions Investigation Into Acute Shortage Of British Sign Language Interpreters

PRLog (Press Release) – May 09, 2008 – Aware of the acute shortage of British Sign Language interpreters - Andiamo took the opportunity to find out more about the issues surrounding this problem. Project Controller, Kate Stansfield reports:

"In April 2007, CACDP reported that 469 BSL-English Interpreters were registered with them in England and Wales: this means that there is roughly 1 registered interpreter for every 106 Deaf people who need them."

This is a staggering statistic and one of many important observations made in the recent report on the current provision of BSL/English Interpreters within Yorkshire and the Humber. The report, commissioned by the Regional Language Network Yorkshire & The Humber, was officially launched by its author, Helen Tagg, on 13 December 2007.

The Projects Team at Andiamo! are acutely aware of the reality of the current shortage of BSL/English interpreters. Requests from clients for these interpreters are often difficult to satisfy due to interpreters almost always being fully-booked. Keen to learn more about the issues surrounding the provision of BSL/English interpreters, the invitation from the RLN to attend the launch at Centenary House in Leeds appeared to offer the perfect opportunity.

Attended by BSL/English interpreters, sign language tutors, members of the Deaf community and staff from the Leeds Deaf and Blind Society, amongst others, the day began with an overview of the report by its author Helen Tagg. Helen began by highlighting the importance of producing such a report – stressing the public and private sector’s need to conform with disability legislation, and by emphasising the effect of the lack of BSL/English interpreters on the Deaf community in terms of social exclusion.

Next followed a fascinating insight into the reasons behind the shortage of interpreters.  What emerged was a picture of a long and expensive route to the career of BSL/English interpreter, of a lack of information at national level concerning the number of Deaf people using BSL and of poor communication and coordination between the different communities involved.