What steps has the Senedd Commission taken to ensure that those who have hearing loss or are registered deaf are able to fully interact with the Welsh Parliament?
The Senedd Commission is committed to ensuring access to all our services and buildings for the deaf and hearing impaired. Equality Impact Assessments are made before any changes are carried out; we are compliant with legislation and follow best practice.
Our Public Engagement and Communications Strategy sets out our plans for identifying and removing barriers to participation and engagement for disabled people. When undertaking engagement work on behalf of committees, we proactively target disabled people and disability organisations.
Every week we broadcast British Sign Language interpretation of First Minister’s Question on Senedd TV. We have also piloted the use of BSL for other Ministerial statements, which has received positive feedback. We also subtitle video content on request.
The Senedd Commission has been accredited by the RNID as an accessible organisation and has won three RNID Cymru Excellence Wales awards for the provisions we have in place.
On our estate, services are available to facilitate engagement with people who are deaf or have a hearing loss, including a BSL interpreter, palantypists and lip speakers. Attendees at events, tours and meeting are asked if they require any reasonable adjustments as part of the planning process.
Commission staff have undergone disability awareness training, with extra deaf awareness and BSL classes provided. Our Front of House and Security colleagues have undertaken disability confidence training.
The Commission is working with RNID as part of the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into mental health inequalities. We are planning to use the BSL contacts that RNID has along with a transcribing tool to support the work of the Committee.
If there are any individual needs that you feel that are not being met, I am happy to meet and discuss.