WHAT IS THE BSL CONFERENCE?
In 2003 British Sign Language (BSL) was formally recognised by the UK government.
Nearly twenty years later the British Sign Language Act 2022 was passed. The Act recognised BSL as an official language of England, Wales and Scotland.
One person told us “it meant that we’re finally recognised”. Another person said it was a “beautiful day”.
In 2023 the British Deaf Association (BDA) held its first BSL Conference to discuss what happens next and what it will mean for the Deaf community.
According to the BDA, around 151,000 people in the UK use BSL.
We went along to the conference to learn more about what members of the Deaf community hope will change.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The Act means that UK government departments have to promote BSL in how they communicate and report on how they’re doing. They’ll also give advice on how to promote BSL.
A new BSL Advisory Board will also advise the government on how best to implement the BSL Act. That includes things like how to deal with issues like increasing the numbers of BSL interpreters.
The BDA has a 10-year Strategic Vision on how it can promote BSL moving forward. The conference programme described how its “vision is for a good quality of life for every Deaf baby, child and adult in the UK”.
Throughout our time at the conference we spoke to lots of people about what they would like to see change following the passing of the BSL Act.
Their answers were focused on improved accessibility and improving education for young members of the Deaf community.
You can watch a video with their responses below. We were kindly helped by Darren Townsend-Handscomb who provided translation for most of the interviews.
Education was one of the big issues that was discussed at the conference. Dr Kate Rowley is a lecturer in deafness, cognition and language at University College London. Dr Rowley told us about how “Education for Deaf children has been appalling for so long” and how she hopes “the BSL Act transforms deaf education for Deaf children”.
For Dr Rowley, the BSL Act was about “validating our language and our community”.
She also told us about the importance of helping Deaf children between the ages of 0-4 acquire a language so that they’re primed and ready to learn and access the curriculum when they get to school.
Dr Kate Rowley
Now that there is legal recognition of the language, the community wants to move forward.
The Chief Executive of the BDA, Rebecca Mansell, told us “we want to change public attitudes”.
“Finally our language is being recognised legally. No more oppression of our language. Now we can move forward with BSL”
“Now attitudes are starting to change … in the last year the public have really started to see sign language”. Mansell gave examples like Rose Ayling-Ellis winning Strictly Come Dancing and Troy Kotsur winning Best Supporting Actor at last year’s Oscars for his performance in the film CODA as examples of the public seeing more of the Deaf community.
Rebecca Mansell
WHAT DO THE POLITICIANS SAY?
We spoke to Rosie Cooper, a former Labour MP who introduced the BSL Bill to parliament that became the BSL Act. Rosie is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults).
The BSL Act passed through the UK parliament unopposed in a rare example of cross party unity. Cooper went to the former Minister Chloe Smith, who’s a Conservative, and they worked together to get it passed.
Cooper tells us that “language recognition was the key to open the door and let Deaf people pour through demanding better things for themselves”
Rosie Cooper
The current Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work is Tom Pursglove MP. At the conference he announced the members of the BSL Advisory Board that will advise the government.
He said: “Communication is a basic human right, and the British Sign Language Act's recognition of BSL as a language of England, Wales and Scotland was a huge step in legal recognition.
"We are determined to keep pushing forward, and I am delighted to have appointed the expert and experienced members of the BSL Advisory Board who will guide us on our path. I look forward to working with them, and learning from them, so that together we can make the UK a more inclusive and accessible society.”
Tom Pursglove MP