British Sign Language (BSL) Stakeholder Group: recommendations

The recommendations produced by the group have been organised into short-term and long-term recommendations. The group also produced recommendations that relate to the Private Member BSL (Wales) Bill which are outlined within the document.

The BSL stakeholder task and finish group was established in January 2025, following the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip’s written statement published in November 2024.

The purpose of the group was to develop a set of recommendations to inform the Welsh Government’s production of a BSL policy ‘route map’. The ‘route map’ will outline the short-term actions the Welsh Government will take to strengthen the recognition and provision of BSL, ensure equal access and outcomes, equal language rights, and the empowerment of Welsh deaf leadership.

The group met monthly between January and July 2025 to explore language barriers and the actions required to ensure equitable access to information and services for deaf BSL signers across a broad range of policy areas. The group discussed challenges and priority areas.

The group brought together a diverse and representative mix of stakeholders, including deaf organisations and charities, each contributing valuable expertise and lived experience. Discussions were undertaken in BSL as the primary language of the meeting, the group was also co-chaired by 2 deaf BSL signers.

The Welsh Government will use the recommendations provided by the group to inform and develop the BSL Route Map. The Route Map will include the short-term recommendations and actions needed to improve the lives of BSL signers in Wales and to support to promotion and facilitation of BSL across our Welsh public services.

The group advised that action for short-term recommendations should begin immediately and be completed within 18 months from the starting point. Below is a record of the short-term recommendations produced by the BSL Stakeholder group.

Recommendation 1: BSL data collection

There exists a lack of rich and representative BSL data. Within data collection, there is often no defined category for recording data on BSL. Further research to understand barriers to accurate BSL data collection is required. The Welsh Government should commission research to explore what barriers exist when collecting and collating BSL data, to inform any future statistics data collection. 

Comparisons should be made with existing data collection models, including models used for the Welsh language. The Welsh Government should explore and review existing data collection for the Welsh language. This framework should then inform data collection for BSL to ensure parity between language data collection.

Recommendation 2: BSL Within population needs assessments

Population needs assessments required through the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act should include a specific reference to the needs of BSL signers. There is a need for making changes in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act Code of Practice to recognise British Sign Language and to subsequently explore what data can be derived from this.

Recommendation 3: defining BSL within the education sector

BSL is often wrongly viewed as a communication tool rather than a language within the education sector. The Welsh Government should work with deaf BSL signers to develop a clear definition of BSL as a language, to be promoted and used within educational settings. The definition must address the differences between BSL as a language and other sign systems. The Welsh Government should work with education professionals to promote and raise awareness of BSL as a language.

Recommendation 4: mapping BSL within the education workforce

The Welsh Government should map out the existing teaching workforce to understand existing levels of BSL of provision.

Recommendation 5: mapping early years BSL provision

The Welsh Government should map how deaf children are identified in early years screening and the current provision provided to babies, children and parents from the point of identification.

Recommendation 6: mapping BSL within mental health services

The Welsh Government should map out the current pathway and process for seeking mental health support, for both young people and adults whose first or preferred language is BSL across all Welsh health boards.

Recommendation 7: examples of good practiceof BSL provision

The Welsh Government should collect evidence of best practice in relation to BSL provision within public service settings and map out a picture of what good looks like. Examples of good practice should include case studies to share within the Welsh Government and with public service providers.

Recommendation 8: review of Welsh Government BSL provision

The Welsh Government must strengthen its BSL provision. It should:

• firstly, review the process in which they carry out BSL translations and communications and create a Welsh Government process for the provision of BSL in relation to public documents and consultations materials
• use the review to explore and develop a model of best practice for BSL provision, communications and consultations

Recommendation 9: scheme to identify professionals who use BSL in working environments

The Welsh Government should implement a BSL scheme similar to the Iaith Gwaith/ Working Welsh scheme and orange speech bubble badge. The badge should be designed and visibly indicate which professionals, across all public services, can sign and encourage the use of BSL across the public sector.

Recommendation 10: strengthen safeguarding for the deaf BSL signing community

Safeguarding guidance and resources relating to abuse and the protection of vulnerable individuals should be made fully accessible to deaf BSL signers. This aligns with the existing duties under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act. The Welsh Government should firstly:

• undertake a review of existing safeguarding guidance to identify whether existing guidance in available in BSL and that translations are accessible to the most vulnerable deaf BSL signers, including those with additional language or cognitive needs
• review existing reporting pathways, assessing whether reporting pathways are clear and direct and allow deaf BSL signers to raise safeguarding concerns through BSL
• review the existing promotion of safeguarding resources and reporting channels, exploring whether deaf BSL signers, in particular those most at risk, are aware of how to access help and support

Following these reviews, where there are gaps and areas which need to be strengthened, the Welsh Government to take action.

Action to deliver long-term recommendations should begin within 2 years and be completed within 5 years from the starting point. Below is a record of the long-term recommendations produced by the BSL Stakeholder group.

Recommendation 11: mapping BSL provision across public services

Mapping and research to understand issues with access to BSL provision. Evidence should be gathered to build an understanding of where issues are occurring within public service processes, this can then inform where future guidance and intervention needs to be focussed. A deeper understanding of the issues in relation to the provision of language services across public services is required, to identify what the main issues are and where issues are occurring within public service processes.

Recommendation 12: BSL provision and the educational workforce

The Welsh Government should: 

• develop a pathway for the future teaching workforce and a pathway to support career progression for the existing teaching workforce. This should consider how we can increase the pool of BSL teachers
• develop a pathway for teaching BSL and consider standards for Wales and the need for regulation for BSL teachers. For example, all BSL teachers may need to be at a minimum level 6 BSL. The pathway would need to consider how teachers can become qualified in BSL and qualify as teachers.
• establish a teaching register and method of making complaints
• map Communication Support Workers (CSWs) to understand their impact across Wales and the ways in which they support deaf people. Consideration should be given that the role and job description of CSW’s can vary depending on the educational setting and circumstances. Welsh Government should draw on the expertise of local interpreter assessor-trainers when reviewing the skills and roles of CSWs in Wales. Welsh Government should explore how CSWs could be upskilled to be level 6 BSL, providing existing professionals with the opportunity to enter a clear career progression pathway to achieve BSL interpreting standards and qualifications

Recommendation 13: Early Years BSL Provision and Pathways of Support

The Welsh Government should:

• map the pathway of support from the point of identification for deaf babies and children, including BSL support. Parents should be able to make fully informed choices and have all options available to them. Service providers should treat BSL equally within the pathway of support and offered positively. Families should be offered the opportunity to engage with BSL and equity between languages is needed
• work with deaf BSL signers to develop a campaign to positively promote learning of BSL within early years. The campaign should highlight the rewards and merits of acquiring BSL at an early age need to be promoted and awareness raising is needed amongst early years health care professionals

Recommendation 14: Mental Health Services for Young People and Adults

There are significant gaps in data for the mental health services for deaf people. There is currently no deaf CAMHS in Wales. Welsh Government should:

• following an initial mapping exercise, review the current pathway and process for seeking mental health support through BSL and explore and determine how the process can be improved and barriers removed across all Welsh health boards
• develop a data narrative for mental health services for deaf young people and adults and collect statistics and data on the mental health of deaf BSL signers. Welsh Government should use research to establish where there are mental health inequalities and where there are language barriers in accessing support and self-referrals
• build and strengthen relationships between CAMHS Wales and deaf CAMHS in UK to ensure best practice is shared and BSL provision is strengthened

Recommendation 15: BSL interpreting and translation workforce

There are many barriers to entering the BSL interpreting and translating profession in Wales. There is no clear career pathway or progression route. 

The Welsh Government should map and research the existing career barriers to becoming and progressing as a BSL interpreter/ translator. The Welsh Government needs to address these barriers to increase the number of people entering the BSL interpreting/ translation profession. 

The Welsh Government should work with Careers Wales as part of this research and consider ways forward in promoting interpreting/ translating as a career and increasing the numbers of interpreters and translators. The Welsh Government should consult with BSL interpreting and translation professionals (including representative organisations), and the deaf BSL signing community as part of this work.

Recommendation 16: standards for BSL/Welsh interpretation and translation

The Welsh Government should liaise with National Registers of Communication Professionals working with deaf and deafblind People (NRCPD), who are the leading voluntary regulator for language service professionals in the UK, to explore how Welsh/BSL interpreting and translation could be registered against set standards.

Recommendation 17: consideration of BSL complaints processes

The Welsh Government should review and understand the barriers within the Welsh Government and public service complaints processes. All public service providers should empower deaf people to make complaints.

Recommendation 18: BSL guidance

The ‘BSL: advice for public services guidance’ is outdated and needs revision to reflect BSL as a language. The Welsh Government should produce guidance and a framework for public services for the provision of BSL. The guidance must include but not be limited to procuring and booking interpreters and translators, this would include expected standards and quality. Any guidance must consider language needs of deaf BSL signers, family members and un-paid carers. Future guidance must include rich information about the lived experience of deaf BSL signers.

• Lead as an exemplar and ensure that they follow standards. To lead to a BSL strategy for public services in relation to the provision of BSL in their settings.
• Consider existing Video Relay Services (VRS) in use across Wales and how to use VRS within public service settings appropriately.
• Link guidance to existing guidance and relevant legislation. Guidance needs to sit alongside a national BSL strategy and could support the pre-implementation of a BSL strategy.

Recommendation 19: BSL Provision within Well-being Opportunities

The Welsh Government should ensure that public bodies consider and review existing wellbeing opportunities for deaf BSL signers, and interventions that act as preventative mental health measures. Wellbeing opportunities may include online and in person mindfulness activities and tools, local clubs and groups.

Recommendation 20: Consider the role of the Well-being for Future Generations Act

When implementing recommendations, Welsh Government should consider how the role of the Well-being for Future Generations Act links to all recommendations.

Recommendations relating to the BSL (Wales) Bill

The group made recommendations that relate to the implementation of the Member BSL (Wales) Bill. On 14 July 2025, the British Sign Language (Wales) Member Bill was introduced in the Senedd. The Member Bill has begun its passage through the Senedd and will be subject to the four-stage legislative process. The Business Committee has remitted the Bill to the Equality and Social Justice Committee.

Recommendation 21: Wales should have its own BSL legislation

Recommendation 22: BSL Advisory Panel

The Welsh Government should establish a long standing BSL advisory panel, primarily made up of deaf BSL signers. Any prospective advisory panel must include intersectionality. The composition of the panel must include a diverse range of BSL signers to ensure wide representation of the deaf BSL signing community. The panel must regularly liaise and consult with cross-government policy areas including health and social care, education, early years, employment. The panel should have the ability to constructively challenge Welsh Government where necessary. There should be further discussion on the establishment of a BSL advisory panel including recruitment and terms of reference.

A future panel must also ensure collaboration with relevant Commissioners to ensure promotion and recognition of BSL and deaf BSL signers across Wales.

Recommendation 23: BSL adviser

The Welsh Government should recruit a BSL adviser. A BSL adviser should provide advice on a variety of policy areas and must be a deaf BSL signer.

Recommendation 24: BSL action plan/strategy

The Welsh Government should produce a BSL action plan/strategy. The strategy should be in addition to any advisory roles and the BSL advisory panel. The BSL adviser should support and inform the action plan/strategy. Further discussion to define the interaction between the BSL advisory panel and the action plan/strategy should be required. The action plan/strategy should ensure that areas of responsibility for different actions with the plan are clearly defined.

Recommendation 25: the Welsh Government should promote BSL as a language of Wales

The Welsh Government should promote BSL as a language of Wales and refer to Wales having 3 national languages, English, Welsh, and BSL.

Recommendation 26: proactive BSL offer within health and social care settings

Public bodies should promote and facilitate BSL through ensuring BSL materials, resources, working with and the role of interpreters, translation of written communications (letters, emails, guidance documents, websites). All public bodies should work towards implementing an active offer of BSL in the same way as Welsh.

Recommendation 27: BSL recognition and awareness within public services

Public bodies should ensure training and awareness should be provided to workforce and they should receive training on BSL from a language and culture perspective and not an access perspective. Training should ensure language needs are met when providing services and focus on a person-centred approach to care. BSL should be viewed as a language across planning and assessments, including Equality Impact Assessments.