Labour MSP Mark Griffin says access to leisure and sport for BSL users could be improved apon.

Mr Griffin says he has been approached by a deaf athlete who is having to fund-raise for the forthcoming deaf Olympics.

He says he hopes that the funding of deaf athletes will be kept in mind.

Labour MSP Mark Griffin says society is missing out on the contribution that deaf and deafblind people can make.

Mr Griffin says, in order to reduce the attainment gap between hearing and deaf pupils, the skills of teachers needs to be looked at.

He says there must be a commitment from the SQA for a recognised qualification in BSL for pupils. 

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Mark Griffin says he is truly delighted to speak in the debate today and he thanks the government for its extensive consultation document.

Mr Griffin says BSL is a visual gestural language that uses space and movement and has a different grammatical structure than English.

He says deaf people who use BSL are part of a recognised cultural minority.

Mr Griffin says even though the history of sign language goes back so far there still remains an unawareness of BSL, but that is being addressed.

Mr Balfour says the provision needs to extend beyond classroom activity to social activity.

The Tory MSP uses an example of a pupil in his constituency who gets BSL support in the classroom but feels isolated in the playground during break times. 

"Deafness is not a learning disability," he says, and there is no reason deaf people should achieve any less than their hearing peers".

He says a child who is born deaf should still be able to lead a fulfilling life. 

"Teachers of the deaf are a lifeline for many deaf children but theses services have been squeezed," he says.

Image source, bbc

Conservative MSP Jeremy Balfour says his party will back the government motion and congratulates the minister for having a motion that does not mention Brexit on a Thursday afternoon.

Mr Balfour says Mark Griffin can be very proud of the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act.

He encourages people whose first or preferred language is BSL to respond to the consultation.

The Tory MSP says the demand for sign language services is set to become much higher, with the awareness raising detailed in the plan.

Mr McDonald says the Scottish parliament is the first to provide legislation promoting BSL.

The childcare and early years minister says the consultation in now live and can be responded to in English or BSL.

He says today is an opportunity for members in the chamber to contribute to the consultation. 

Image source, bbc

Mr McDonald say mental health information will be translated into BSL over the lifetime of this plan.

He says there is shortage of BSL English interpreters.

The minister says there are variations within BSL and this will be considered.

He says there are over 50 actions in the draft plan.

Childcare and Early Years Minister Mark McDonald says in education the goal is children who use BSL reach their potential.

Mr McDonald says: "We are looking to remove barriers."

He says the government is looking at guidance for offering BSL as a language choice.

The minister says the government wants to ensure BSL users have fair and equal access into employment opportunities.

He says over the next six years information on national health screening and immunisation programmes is translated into BSL.

Mr McDonald says deaf and deafblind BSL users will be able to make informed choices about all aspects of their lives.

The childcare and early years minister says the draft national plan has been described as a testimony of the commitment of the Scottish government to BSL.

He thanks the Deaf Sector Partnership and the National Advisory Group (NAG)

Mr McDonald says the plan centres around ten action points and the the first draft will set out what the government will be able to achieve in the next six years. 

The closing date for this survey is 31 May 2017. 

Image source, Scottish government

Image source, Scottish government

Image source, Scottish government

Here is the  British Sign Language (BSL) Consultation., external

The consultation was launched by the Scottish government and the minister responsible for British Sign Language (BSL), Mark MacDonald, who want to know what people think of the draft British Sign Language National Plan 2017 to 2023. 

BSL is a language. 

It is the language that Deaf and Deafblind people use in every day life. 

A group of people called the BSL National Advisory Group have been working together to help develop the plan.   

Image source, Scottish government

Image source, bbc

MSPs debated the British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill was passed unanimously on Thursday, 17 September 2015, before passing the bill.  

Click here to watch the Stage 3 debate on the British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill.

The British Sign Language Bill was introduced by Mark Griffin.

The Labour MSP, who had two grandparents who were deaf-blind, said the bill sould lead to the naming and shaming of local authorities who are falling short.

Image source, bbc

The British Sign Language (Sotland) Act aims to to raise awareness of British Sign Language (BSL) and improve access to services for those using the language by requiring the Scottish government and listed local bodies to publish and implement their own plans for how they will promote the use of the language. 

It also makes provision for the preparation and publication of a British Sign Language National Plan for Scotland and by requiring certain authorities to prepare and publish their own British Sign Language Plans in connection with the exercise of their functions.

Click here for the SPICE briefing on the Act in BSL., external

Image source, bbc

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh says the parliament is providing BSL translation for the debate.    

Childcare and Early Years Minister Mark McDonald says he is pleased to open the debate on the first draft BSL plan.

Mr McDonald says when the BSL Act was passed the gallery erupted in happiness and he pays tribute to Labour MSP Mark Griffin for introducing the bill and to Cathy Craigie. 

Image source, bbc

Image source, bbc

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott says Mr McDonald has brought all the parties together broadly speaking.

However he ask about workforce planning suggesting thousands of extra staff were needed to fulfil the plan.

Mr McDonald says in terms of the staffing numbers part the recruitment campaign will be launched in the Autumn. 

He says the government is focused on having the right numbers and quality of staff.

Greens MSP Alison Johnstone says her party have been calling for a living wage for all those in childcare and welcomes this.

Ms Johnstone asks the minister about the provider neutral approach and if the minister agrees that all children should have access to GTCS qualified teacher.

Mr McDonald says the discussions he has had with local government has focused on the provider neutral approach being necessary. 

He says the provider neutral approach allows of all in childcare to be brought in to the process.

The childcare and early years minister says the government wants to make sure there are as many routes into the profession as possible.

Image source, Thinkstock

Childcare and Early Years Minister Mark McDonald says parents will have more choice when accessing their child’s funded nursery provision.

Mr McDonald says the development of the delivery model known as funding follows the child is just one of 31 steps being taken in the next year to ensure the expansion to 1,140 hours is founded on quality, flexibility, accessibility and affordability.

He says it will be underpinned by a new national standard for funded provider status, which he says ensures the highest quality of learning and care is available consistently, regardless of postcode.