Latest deafscotland publication
First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls: Deaf Women Circle Report
deafscotland held five online consultation meetings with deaf women who gave their views on "Exploring an Intersectional Gender Architecture". Read the report here: Deaf Women and Girls Circle Report
Briefing on Communication For All Campaign
deafscotland wrote a briefing in response to an email from the Scottish Government's Department of Equality & Human Rights on the Programme for Government. Read the briefing here: WORD PDF
deafscotland's asks for the Scottish Parliamentary Election in 2021
deafscotland sent out its "asks" to be included on the political parties' manifestos for next year's Scottish Parliament elections. All the current MSPs also received a copy. WORD PDF
Covid-19 Survey Report - Summary report and data from survey
deafscotland carried out a survey on how deaf people across the four pillars of deafness managed during the first phase of lockdown. The full report is available including the data from the survey here.
deafscotland fact sheets and tool kits
Making Virtual Assistants Accessible
The current UK-wide COVID-19 pandemic has brought the impact and understanding of the social isolation that deaf people feel on a daily basis into the mainstream and raised awareness of the distressing effects isolation can have. Many vulnerable people have had to shield during the lockdown, cutting them off from friends and family. Care home visits have been restricted which has resulted in an anxious time for relatives and residents unable to see their loved ones. In response to this we have seen a recent increase in the use of virtual communication technology which is allowing people to stay connected in these difficult times.
Virtual Assistants are being used more regularly to bridge the communication gap and provide reassurance. deafscotland has produced a set of four accessible factsheets with information and tips on how to get started using virtual communication technology.
VA1: Overview of Virtual Assistant Devices WORD PDF
VA2: How to Use the Amazon Echo WORD PDF
VA3: Using Ring Doorbell WORD PDF
VA4: Safe and Secure Use of Virtual Assistants WORD PDF
Exemptions from wearing a face covering: PDF WORD
Zoom
Preparing for your Zoom meeting: PDF WORD
Good manners at meetings: PDF WORD
Safe and secure use of Zoom: PDF WORD
Making Zoom fully accessible: PDF WORD
Communication Support on Zoom: PDF WORD
Zoom for people who are Hard of Hearing: PDF WORD
Zoom for people who are Deafened: PDF WORD
Zoom for people who are Deafblind: PDF WORD
Zoom for people who are BSL users: PDF WORD
Reasonable Adjustment: Options for working with people affected by deafness PDF
How to plan reopening services safely: WORD PDF
Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment (EqHRIA) for organisations on the "Road to Recovery"
Now that lockdown is easing and organisations are planning their own "road to recovery", deafscotland has put together an EqHRIM tool to help organisations check how proposals or a decision on policy, services or funding will impact on people’s rights and on the organisation’s duties. The matter being assessed may come from your organisation or affects your organisation or stakeholders. It helps you think about planned as well as unintended consequences and helps you make better, evidenced led decisions.
The Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998 are separate laws so their impact on the decision under the spotlight needs to be separately considered too. For example, human rights set minimum standards for everyone, equally, to enjoy economic, social, cultural, civil, political and environmental rights. Human rights are particularly powerful when everyone is being treated equally badly. The purpose of the Equality Act is to better tackle disadvantage and discrimination. The benefit of bringing the two assessments together is to ensure no one is left out and left behind in key decisions.
Our new tool is available to download here: deafscotland EqHRIA worksheet
The BSL version of the EqHRIA is available here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7TPJkTbihG8EEY2ACjep-7OpJXfer76o
Covid-19 Survey - Summary Report
deafscotland carried out a survey to gather information about how people across the four pillars of deafness coped with phase one of lockdown for Covid-19. The summary report is available to download here.
BSL Project Evaluation - Report
As you will be aware, deafscotland's contribution to the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 Partnership has finished. As part of the project, we agreed to do an evaluation of the final year of the project to show what legacy our work would leave. This evaluation is now complete and the report is available here: deafscotland BSL Project Evaluation 2020
Dementia and Deafness - Report: Deafness and Dementia Research Report
deafscotland has produced a number of reports based on research and events. These reports can be downloaded here:
Data Census Report 2020: Deafness_Predicting the future for Scotland
Safety First...These are the baseline survey reports from four deafscotland projects: Self-Management, Cycling, Safety, and Mental Health. Safety First… Keeping people safe with Communication for All
First National BSL Summit Report: BSL Summit Report 2020
Connect Us Too Mental Health Summit Report: Mental Health Summit Report 2020
deafscotland working with Scottish Care wrote a Care Cameo to explain deafness and the barriers people affectecd by deafness face on a daily basis. It also has solutions to overcoming those barriers. Read the report here: Care Cameo 8 Deafness