The National Deaf Children’s Society has hit out at the Government over their announcement that they will be going ahead with proposed changes to Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) which will leave it to universities to take ‘primary responsibility’ for many areas of support.
Susan Daniels, Chief Executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society said:
“We are bitterly disappointed that the Government has announced it will cut Disabled Students Allowance, which is a lifeline for so many deaf students at university.
“We know that deaf students can achieve just as much as their hearing peers, but the right support must be in place. As it stands, we have no way of knowing if universities will pick up the cost of vital support staff. Deaf students desperately need support such as notetakers because they cannot lipread a lecturer or follow a sign language interpreter and take notes at the same time.
“Deaf young people are telling us they feel the Government is intent on making it more difficult for them to go to university. We strongly believe the Government must think again or guarantee safeguards will be in place to protect deaf students.”
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pennybsl
December 3, 2015
Such devastating news, without real consultation and impact assessment, are HUGE to everyone – the young person, mature learner, families, carers, all those who worked hard to educate the person to be ‘Uni-ready’, professionals and friends.
The NDCS’s choice of words are succinct though an understatement of our feelings at the shocking news of the DSA’s demise.
The Government is truly ruthless, heartless, anti-Deaf, anti-Disabled.
Shocking, the elected Government have blitzed Deaf and Disabled people’s career development.
The Equality Act is now in tatters.
Clearly – as many Deaf people said, in Facebook and social media, when their own ATW was sabotaged/bombed by faceless DWP bureaucracy – the Government is “forcing us towards menial work”.
Cutting out and transferring the use of DSA to HE institutions will force a cruel lottery for young deaf people – no longer able to choose wherever they wish to study, they would be heartlessly restricted by which University could afford to support them.
Mr Gove’s mother used to be a ToD.
Where is the understanding, compassion and vision for anyone who is Deaf / Disabled wanting to progress through Higher Education?
Where is the respect for us who want to be useful in employment and pay taxes?
Universities are still reeling from many moving goalposts of Governmental decisions; we face hostility from Universities struggling with limited funds.
Deja-vu?
This announcement, buried under last night’s Parliamentary vote on bombing Syria – reminds us of when the ground-breaking news of the Government in 2003 ‘recognising’ BSL as a language the day (18.03.03) was completely, deeply, buried under front-page news of Britain joining the Iraqi war (19.03.03).
Robbing Deaf & Disabled people’s futures to pay for bombing innocent citizens abroad, to pay for MPs’ expenses?
That is how we feel.
Tim
December 3, 2015
Totally agree with Penny.
And they’re doing this on ‘International day of [disabled] people’ too.
Liz
December 3, 2015
What support will deaf students lose exactly?
Natalya D
December 3, 2015
Liz: Manual notetaking will no longer be funded by DSA. Instead universities should pay for it. I would be surprised if any refused for a deaf or hard of hearing student who needs it. Students might have to be assertive and be clear “recordings” or non notetakers aren’t good enough.
Interpreters, lipspeakers, STTR/captions and things like language support are all still DSA funded for now. My concern is that through two-quotes systems which ALWAYS choose the cheapest that quality could be sacrificed for price and deaf students’ reports of “this isn’t satisfactory” will be ignored cos of cost issues.
BSL especially is at risk because the relationship between a student and their interpreter(s) is SO personal and specific to the individuals. Communicating high quantity and quality information at university level is really hard work and the student and terp will need to create shortcuts and systems which work. Experienced interpreters in HE may cost more than a newly qualified interpreter. What happens if a deaf student says interpreter A doesn’t work for them and they prefer B who costs more?
I know from experience that another student might be fine with interpreter A and dislike B cos everyone’s sign language is different – we have different experiences of learning it and so on. I know even with my level 2 BSL that I find some terps easier to follow than others just cos of how they sign.
clare
December 3, 2015
I’ve been trying to find the government’s announcement and so far have found this: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Lords/2015-12-02/HLWS341/ (Not sure how to link. You may need to copy and paste into address bar).
It says, “DSAs will retain primary responsibility for funding the most specialist non-medical help support, that are set out in the SLC NMH manual under bands 3 and 4, with the exception of Specialist Transcription Services.” Am trying to find out what bands 3 and 4 are and so far found this http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/6192/non_medical_help_manual.pdf (though I haven’t checked to see if it’s current.)
This includes CSWs as BSL lower level interpreters, BSL interpreters and electronic notetakers. No mention of speech to text reporting though so I don’t know what’s currently happening about STTR provision. No mention of lip-speakers.
So if I’ve understood, it looks as though universities will be expected to pay for equipment but not for these services, which would still be through DSA. “Specialist Transcription Services” doesn’t include these, so I think not as big an issue as if funding were being withdrawn for interpreters and notetakers.
So maybe – just maybe! – it may not be as bad as it looks at first. The statement also mentions “further consultation” but not what form that would take, how public it would be (and even if public, seems to me government often does a good job of not publicising consultations!)
Anyone know how to find out more certainly about what will be covered under bands 3 & 4 and about the “further consultations?”
Natalya D
December 3, 2015
I blogged a bit about this at http://natalyad.dreamwidth.org/17742.html
This isn’t the most worrying, that is still to come in terms of how support is paid for and cost vs quality…
pennybsl
December 4, 2015
Yes, absolutely right, Natalya.
Already the Government acted bullishly (without actively involving frontline BSL Interpreters, Communication Professionals, Deaf & Disabled professionals in the process) on the National Framework Agreement which contained many inaccuracies and errors (this blog says it all – https://interpretingsigns.wordpress.com/tag/national-framework-agreement/) .
The NDCS is correct in highlighting concerns about the Government’s handling of DSA at this current economic climate, on behalf of young deaf people, families/carers, friends and professionals. Lowering standards and scrooge-style funding access harm Deaf young people’s career aspirations.
Is the dumbing down of centrally-funded DSA an ‘hidden agenda’ to reduce the number of highly qualified Deaf professionals using full-time ATW?
We are facing decisions and choices by increasing numbers of non-Deaf/Disabled-aware people.
This is the opposite of what inclusion is all about.