Deaf News: RAD Deaf Law Centre to close due to Legal Aid cuts

In a blow for Deaf people who need legal advice, it has been announced that the RAD Deaf Law Centre is to close, due to cuts in Legal Aid.

The centre was known for being able to offer legal advice in sign language to Deaf people who often could not access legal services due to communication barriers.

The following is from the RAD website:

It has been liberally announced in the media that public funding for legal services has diminished significantly in recent years and in certain sectors it has ceased entirely.

The impact of these funding cuts has had a profound effect on RAD Deaf Law Centre. As a result of this, Rob Wilks, the Director for Legal Services at RAD has undertaken a review of the Deaf Law Centre and the viability of providing on-going legal support to the Deaf community. As a result of this review, Rob Wilks has made a recommendation to the Trustees that the Deaf Law Centre be wound up.

This has been considered by the Trustees and accepted. As a result, we confirm that RAD Deaf Law Centre will cease from 28^th Feb 2014.  This also means that Rob Wilks will be leaving RAD.

Jan Sheldon, RAD’s CEO, says: “Rob has worked for the organisation for over 10 years and has made a valuable and important contribution to the organisation and to the services that RAD has been able to offer Deaf people across the country. The Trustees and I wish to publically thank Rob for his courageous decision in putting the interests of the organisation above his own. We wish him all the best for the future.”

RAD will still be providing advice services, including Money Advice. We will also continue to train and assess for the Deaf Law Quality Mark, for legal service providers who wish to be accessible to Deaf people.

See this story on the RAD site: http://royaldeaf.org.uk/newsid_141/Deaf_Law_Centre_to_close#sthash.g0mLOxwV.dpuf