British Sign Language (or BSL) is a language used by approximately 70,000 deaf people in this country. The first preferred language of the deaf community, it is accepted by both linguists and the British Government as a language in its own right (such as English or German, for example). Therefore written English may not always be understood by a BSL user, as it is a different language.
BSL is not simply miming or gesturing, or a system of spelling out English. It is a visual language which, like two-thirds of the world’s languages, has no written form. BSL is just as rich in vocabulary, syntax and grammar as any spoken and written language.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act, from October 2004 all service providers will have to make reasonable changes to make sure their services are accessible to everyone, including those people who use BSL.
Remember - not all deaf people use BSL, always ask the person how they prefer to communicate. we can also source other forms of communication for deaf/deafened or hard of hearing people such as Lipspeakers and electronic notetakers.
How to book an interpreter or communicator
As there is a national shortage of suitably qualified interpreters, it is important to book interpreters several weeks in advance whenever possible or to be flexible about dates and times.
When booking an interpreter you should provide the following initial information:
Type of assignment (job interview, meeting, conference etc.)
Date, time and length of appointment.
If a suitable interpreter or communicator is available then further information can be provided, such as:
Subject matter
Requirements
Fees
Address of assignment
Telephone/fax contact details
Name of contact person at assignment
Name and address to whom invoice should be sent.
To book a BSL interpreter in Bradford, please contact British Sign Language Translation Service:
For organisations there is a charge for this service.
The service is available to anyone that requires a sign language interpreter - we also offer other forms of support to cater for other communication needs such as Lipspeakers and electronic notetakers/Speech to text reporters.
To book a BSL interpreter in Bradford, please contact British Sign Language Translation Service:
The Bradford SEND Local Offer is a free and impartial service provided by Bradford Council. The information contained within the website is available for the purposes of identifying services and provision that are available to children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This information does not represent a recommendation or an endorsement of a Service or Provider and neither does the Bradford Council or its partners make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy of the information.
Anyone seeking to use or access a service or provision is responsible for undertaking their own checks to determine the suitability and fitness for purpose of that service and provision. Some providers will be registered and inspected by external agencies, such as Ofsted or the Care Quality Commission. Anyone working with children and young people will be required to have appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service Check (the replacement for the Criminal Record Check), safeguarding policies and insurance in place, which they should make available to you on request.
