ATR covered Welsh WITS issues earlier this month, in order to clarify in depth the issues of BSL Interpretation in Wales, and related issues n England also, sadly Deaf BSL areas chose to ignore it and have instead offered another platform to Cedric Moon in Wales to post the same barely accurate details yet again. It is clear, the blog owners of 'Limping Chicken' deliberately (And after reading the ATR Blog), then refused to allow ATR input to provide Welsh deaf people with a balanced view option..
It is unfair of Cedric Moon or any other 'Deaf' area to then lay blame on the systems trying to sort out what they obviously cannot, or, for them to kill explanations as to why such issues exist, it is all hype and blame-oriented to promote deaf culture.
Some deaf were actually left without communication support in cells or police/NHS staff, were left having difficulties communicating. This is the case I understand in England too with terps predominantly pleasing themselves when they are available. Obviously, ASLI supports freelancers, but has no way to control or organise its own memberships.. There is via post-code issues, issues getting BSL interpretation, it could be rural e.g. Or just plain and simple lack of interpreters to cover support. This however is NOT the case in Wales.
Deaf BSL dependents are a 'captive clientele' so the random nature of BSL freelancers, can create havoc. It's about money, availability, family commitments etc. Some can only work maybe 6-8hrs per week. Wales, especially S Wales, is over-supported via BSL help. The Senedd moved to support deaf people long before England did, or has yet, in fact 10 YEARS before England got around to it, despite England having the most need, Wales has a very small BSL population, and no deaf schools etc, and a huge percentage of those prefer to use family, not professional BSL help, its free and easily available to deaf, and crucially available 24/7 too.
ATR suggested the BDA recognise that this drives down DEMAND for BSL interpreters, and should recommend the systems refuse to allow unqualified family/friend support. They refused outright on rights grounds, meaning demand will just get less and less, despite deaf BSL users being at risk in unsupported legal and health systems via decision-making, or getting neutral advice etc. In courts these deaf are unable to defend themselves, because what BSL terps that do exist, may have no legal training, in reality no Health training either in GP's or Hospitals etc. It's a dangerous myth BSL terps doing 'he said, you said' etc is enough, and as we know, 'Deaf Awareness' OF systems is poor anyway, it needs sorting, systems suggest WITS are the way to do it.
The issue is about BSL terps in Wales losing work and a decent wage, because WITS wants to normalise that too, erm ... DOWNWARDS. Sign Health is a private endeavour too, vying for work albeit their approach is to centralise BSL access via video relay approaches, which removes the need for an actual person. In reality, the most vulnerable deaf sectors, the elderly in health areas, predominantly use own family.
To be fair WITS is at least trying to get BSL support normalised because it causes issues for the systems and for the deaf themselves, but they should have examined first, HOW BSL interpretation systems work as we do nation-wide, it is disappointing Cedric Moon who is well aware of these issues is not clarifying them. Sadly there is a 'mind set' of Deaf BSL areas who have own agendas on everything, and don't want facts to interfere with them. In reality 86% of Welsh deaf issues and campaigns are run from England, as was exposed to the Senedd 4 years ago where ATR identified English BDA areas posting on Welsh sites, but failing to clarify they weren't Welsh or even lived in Wales, they were attempting to suggest issues Wales didn't have..
A lot is passed off via the refusal of charities to accept devolvement retaining a 'national' approach to everything that is creating issues regionally, where decision-making is now taking place. It is also true BSL hardliners are taking advantage of the confusion. The ASLI cannot control its own membership as regards to bad or poor support, etc, but they cannot afford to upset their membership either, the whole thing is not very sustainable. Apart from WITS and freelance ASLI terps members, there are a many BSL terps members of neither, and unlisted, with some working for WITS and registered at the ASLI(!),
It is clear free-lance interpretation is not the way ahead for those deaf reliant on BSL, and, is is anyway killing demand for its own services because deaf users go to families who are there 24/7. The WITS arguments are about a system of BSL fewer deaf are using, interpreter fees, and the need for a reliable 24/7 set up..
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