NUBSLI has launched its #ScrapTheFramework campaign and is asking organisations and individuals to sign an open letter to Francis Maude MP, Minister of the Cabinet Office asking for the new national framework for language services to be scrapped.
The reasons are that the framework is not robust or fit for purpose, does not have appropriate minimum standards of qualifications, little monitoring is proposed and has many loopholes that will allow sub-standard levels of service.
Why? People with no interpreting qualifications can be used in mental health, child protection, health, employment and in every area of public life. There are other reasons but do you really need more than that?
This blog has reported throughout the disastrous MoJ framework which started in 2011. NUBSLI has seen nothing to suggest the government is trying to uphold standards and safeguard the Deaf community with this framework. We have seen what has happened with the MoJ contract. The national agreement was effectively ripped up, the national register was superfluous, legal personnel were wandering the streets and, in desperation, hounding workers in chinese takeaways trying to find anyone who could come to court to interpret or even used Google translate. The MoJ saga continues. Even after a scathing independent report by Matrix, the government still denies the scope of the problems.
Minor improvements have been promised with this new framework. There is still a lack of consultation with organisations and the Deaf community are still largely unaware of what is about to happen. And the framework in its current state looks like it will roll back the Deaf community’s progress by about 30 years.
See NUBSLI’s article here:
http://nubsli.com/nub-posts/national-framework-could-bring-lasting-harm-to-deaf-community.php
And make sure you sign the open letter and get everyone you know to sign too:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OiEJeJhY3O6X9S36DhhwhLpWwUROUA2XMwGOW1KUipQ/edit
Deadline Wednesday 25th February 5pm.
Stop Changes to AtW: Campaign update
Excellent work by the Stop the Changes campaign with some extra information about damaging developments with CSWs which will harm the interpreting profession, especially in light of the framework agreement. Watch out for NUBSLI’s #ScrapTheFramework campaign, gearing up now.
Reblogged from the excellent campaign pages: https://stopchanges2atw.com/2015/02/07/campaign-update-3/
We thought an update would be useful to let you know what is happening with the #StopChanges campaign at the moment.
Fighting Fund:
We have now raised £3,100 for any potential legal cases, and are still working closely with Leigh Day and keeping an eye on the current situation. We are ready to take on any new cases which are felt necessary and hope that with the current level of uncertainty, this will offer some reassurance to AtW users. Support is and will be made available.
Government Review:
We are waiting for more information about the government review into AtW. Despite originally stating a three month review would take place, nine months later we are still waiting.
Work & Pension Select Committee Inquiry Response:
The report from the Access to Work inquiry held by the Work and Pensions Select Committee requires a government response. This should be received two months after the report. We are expecting to see something before 30th March as this is the last date information can be released prior to the general election.
National Framework Agreement:
#StopChanges are opposed to a new national framework being drafted for interpreting and translation services being used for AtW support, and will be supporting others who are campaigning against this.
We have been made aware of some worrying information around the development of CSWs, the first (click here) is a government website refers to being able to start work as a Communication Support Worker in settings such as schools, colleges, universities, adult education centres and work-based learning environments with Level 1 BSL. It states, in this job you would: “interpret between spoken English & BSL”, “use a range of ways to help them grasp what is required in class”, “help them produce written work”, “provide deaf-awareness training for other staff and students”. The second, (click here) shows CSW apprenticeships being developed.
Whilst these examples seem to be predominantly for educational settings (something which we too are firmly against), we have already seen how AtW have tried to impose the use of CSWs on AtW users.
We believe that only qualified trainee and registered interpreters (RSLI/TSLI) should be funded by the public purse and that choice and control for the Deaf user is key.
Links: