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15. ISSUES RELEVANT TO BOTH FE AND HE SECTORS: LANGUAGE SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS
15.1 GENERAL ISSUES
Table 3 in Section 4, above, shows the services LSPs provide, within the framework of linguistic access options available to deaf students.
Although the web-based survey of the number and qualifications of Language Support Professionals ( LSPs) in F&HE will not report until next year (see Section 10, above), much evidence was collected from interviewees on relevant issues and challenges. It should be said that some of this evidence often also applies to the school sector, but in the context of the predominance of the ToD role in providing services.
As will be described, shortage of appropriately qualified staff is compounded by: lack of professional registration for some types of LSP; lack of knowledge in institutions about what constitutes a quality service, and lack of standardised conditions and pay rates for staff.
There was evidence that some institutions, in both sectors, have made concentrated efforts to set appropriate standards of expectations, conditions and pay scales specifically for LSPs, and to establish means of ensuring that good contacts are made in order to employ and/or buy in trained staff when needed. However, there was contrary evidence for other institutions: at one college it is apparently normal practice for students from a Stage 2 class to be asked to interpret for deaf students.
In some situations, there were reports of inappropriately low rates of pay for skilled staff. There were also isolated incidences of inappropriately high rates of pay for under-qualified staff - on a 'better than nothing' principle - which could reduce incentive to undertake necessary further training.
The aforementioned web-based survey will also elicit specific information on how staff are recruited and employed. There was evidence, from interviews, that some further education colleges use agencies (eg local Communication Support agencies); others employ freelance individuals on a short-term contractual basis and others recruit and employ staff within the institution.
There were reports of reluctance to give open ended contracts to LSPs because of fluctuations in deaf student numbers from year to year, leading to lack of security for LSP appointments. As with the underpayment problems, this further reduces the incentive to attract new people into LSP roles.
In the end, the people who lose out most, when quantity and quality of services is poor, are students requiring a high quality professional LSP service. A number of respondents reported evidence of students dropping out of courses, and others being put off attending courses, because the quality of LSP service offered was so low.
The Access Lead Specialism team of the Scottish Further Education Unit are intending to explore issues in relation to qualifications of LSPs and support tutors. Again, the proposed Centre for Linguistic Access would provide a good source of advice and guidance to both FE and HE sectors.
15.2. BSL/ENGLISH INTERPRETERS
15.2.1. SHORTAGE OF REGISTERED STAFF
Appendix 3 shows the qualifications and levels of registration required by BSL/English interpreters in Scotland. It shows that there is a clear distinction between training and qualifications in language fluency and in those relating to skills in interpreting between the two languages of BSL and English. As with interpretation situations between two spoken languages, it is expected that those providing a BSL/English interpreting service have high levels of fluency in both languages, as well as training and accredited skills in translation and interpretation.
Registration systems operated by CACDP (formerly known as the Council for the Advancement in Communication with Deaf People) and the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters ( SASLI) not only provide a means of guaranteeing agreed professional standards of service, but also lead to clear expectations of working conditions (including health and safety issues), and professional support and training.
The shortage of appropriately qualified BSL/English interpreters in F&HE was a consistent message throughout the collection of information for this part of the scoping exercise. Comments such as: 'it goes without saying' and 'the biggest problem' were used regularly when referring to this issue.
At the time of writing there are only 49 registered members registered by the SASLI and 9 Associate (trainee) members. There are also known to be 2 BSL/English interpreters in Scotland who are not SASLI-registered, but who are registered with CACDP (formerly known as the Council for the Advancement in Communication with Deaf People).
Thus, there are only currently 60 BSL/English interpreters in Scotland who are sufficiently trained and qualified to provide a BSL/English interpreting service of any kind, across all situations where interpretation is needed. The RNID verbally reported that their Communication Support agency currently supplies 15 appropriately registered BSL/English interpreters to F&HE students in Scotland - mostly within HE.
It is known that it can sometimes be hard to attract interpreters into educational situations: the length of commitment needed, and the pressures to take on roles other than straightforward interpreting, means an even more limited pool of possible interpreters than that suggested by the total number in Scotland. In a recent seminar at Deaf Action, Edinburgh University's Rachel O'Neill suggested the need to consider the development of a specialist career path for BSL/English interpreters in educational interpreting. There is overlap here with the issues raised in the section on Communication Support Workers (section 15.5, below) - in particular the fact that unqualified interpreters are often employed to provide a BSL/English interpreting service, and also that the job can be different in nature to other types of interpreting assignment. These issues apply whether the posts concerned are entitled 'Interpreter'' 'Communicator' or Communication Support Worker'.
15.2.2. ACCESS TO INTERPRETER TRAINING
It has been well recognised that shortage of training opportunities is a major reasons for the lack of registered BSL/English interpreters.
Underpinning the shortage of training opportunities has been the dearth of trained Tutors of BSL. The Scottish Government-funded 'Training of Trainers' ('ToTs') course, based at Heriot Watt University, has provided a means to begin addressing the long-term situation, by training Tutors of BSL and equipping them with the skills to train others. However, it will take a while before the impact of this filters down into increased provision of advanced-level BSL courses (the ultimate aim being to eventually double the numbers of BSL/English interpreters in Scotland). Future provision for those wishing to train as BSL Tutors includes a BSL Tutor pathway within the proposed SQAPDA in BSL Studies (see details below and in Appendix 6).
Appendix 3 contains a summary of all levels of BSL training available through CACDP, BDA and SQA. Currently there are very few advanced training courses in BSL Advanced/ Level 3, and only one CACDP Level 4, the latter provided by 'Actual Sign' in Glasgow, which has only recently become available. This means a thin supply of people for interpreter training (which is also available at Heriot Watt).
Even for those eligible to apply, interpreter training is expensive and there are few grants available for people wishing to apply; most of those attending are seconded by employers.
It is hoped that a proposed 'apprenticeship' model of interpreter training will help to 'fast track' those with language fluency skills to registered status.
It is also hoped that current collaborative developments between Moray House, Heriot Watt and SQA will radically increase the range of types and levels of BSL training available in Scotland, particularly strengthening provision at advanced levels. Proposals include:
- A BSL degree at Heriot Watt University;
- An SQAPDA in BSL Studies: it is hoped that this will open up possibilities of delivery of SVQ 4 in BSL in FE colleges throughout Scotland (exploiting the availability of graduates from the ToTs course). There are various pathways possible within this PDA, including one for those aspiring to be interpreters (see Appendix 6);
- Extending the range of BSL courses at SCQF levels 5 & 6 (equivalent of Standard Grade and Higher levels).
15.3. NOTETAKERS
In the experience of the Scottish representative of the Association of Notetakers, many colleges and universities in Scotland are not aware of professional notetaking for deaf students: 'they think that deaf students either use an interpreter or lipread one hundred percent'.
15.3.1. ELECTRONIC NOTETAKERS ( ENTs)
In order to guarantee a high level of professional competence, CACDP expect that ENTs will have achieved the 'Level 3 Certificate for LSPs Working with Deaf and Deafblind People (Notetaking)'. This replaces the previous qualification, which was at Level 2.
SASLI understands that there are 11 ENTs at this level currently working in Scotland. The Association of notetakers report 8 Scottish members at this level.
The SQA is in the process of establishing an award in electronic notetaking. One course has taken place within the last year, at the SSC, and it is understood that the award will become part of the SQA's provision in the near future. The SSC hopes that there will be at least two courses provided annually. The Association of Notetakers do not currently recognised this qualification, as the qualifying typing speed is less than that required by CACDP.
It is understood that ENTs tend to work for agencies ( RNID, Deaf Connections, Deaf Action etc), which means that standard rates apply.
The RNID currently has six qualified ENTs working for them in Scotland, and two who are 'working towards the qualification'. Most of the work of these eight is within five universities in the central belt.
The RNID workers are required to follow a code of ethics and the Communication Services co-ordinator expressed concern that this does not always apply to other notetakers. They also raised the issue that the notetakers are expected to have enhanced disclosure, because deaf students are classified as 'vulnerable adults'.
There is evidence of inconsistency in working conditions and pay rates among those institutions that employ non-agency notetakers. Advertisements have been seen for pay ranging from £8 to £20 per hour. One agency notetaker stated that she was 'fairly sure that employers don't know much about notetaking and need to be educated'.
15.3.2. MANUAL NOTETAKERS
The same CACDP qualification is available for manual as for electronic notetaking, by taking a manual-option route through the course.
There is no equivalent SQA route for manual notetaking.
The Association of Notetakers does not know of any qualified manual notetakers working in Scotland. They, and other interviewees, reported that manual notetakers in F&HE tend to be other students who are qualified in the subject (usually at a higher level) who are paid £6-£10 per hour and are untrained. One Communication Support Worker said they had noticed a growing trend, among institutions, to pay untrained hearing students to photocopy their own notes for fellow deaf students.
15.3.3. REGISTRATION
As noted already, registration not only provides a means of guaranteeing an agreed professional standard of service, but also leads to clear expectations of working conditions (including health and safety issues) and professional support and training.
At present SASLI does not have a register of notetakers. CACDP plans to have a register for both manual and electronic notetakers from April 2008.
15.4 LIPSPEAKERS
CACDP registers lipspeakers at level 2 and level 3. Registration level is dependant upon the equivalent level of the CACDP Certificate in Lipspeaking held by the lipspeaker.
It is understood that there is little current demand for lipspeakers within F&HE in Scotland. The RNID report that they have not been asked to provide one in these sectors for over two years. One registered speaker interviewed felt that most situations lent themselves more to notetaking or interpreting, other than isolated examples where a speaker might be moving about within a group - for example, guided tours. It may also be the case that few students who use lipreading to access information know that such a service exists and/or that lecturers and fellow students are generally better now at ensuring good lipreading conditions. However, there is little hard evidence to support these suggestions.
15.5. 'COMMUNICATION SUPPORT WORKERS'
During interviews, it became clear that the role and, indeed, the very existence of 'Communication Support Workers' (' CSWs') or 'Communicators', as a distinct category of Language Support Professional, is a contested issue. Key concerns were that professional standards in the roles they undertake ( BSL/English interpreting, notetaking etc) may often be compromised by a perceived need for role flexibility and a 'better than nothing' meeting of demand, where resources are scarce. Because this impacts directly on all the other LSP roles, and on the role of specialist support tutor, and because of indications of the significant numbers of workers involved in F&HE, it was decided to provide as full an exploration of issues as was possible within this study.
Throughout this section, the abbreviation CSW will be used to denote workers who have a job title of Communication Support Worker, Communicator or other equivalent title. As will be described, this does not, in itself, denote a clearly-defined LSP role. In fact, it should be borne in mind that pressures to employ under-qualified staff and to request role flexibility can also apply to posts entitled 'interpreter'. The proposed survey of F&HE professionals will be helpful in establishing the job titles and qualifications of staff within relevant posts.
15.5.1. THE ROLE OF THE CSW: THE CURRENT SITUATION
Definitions of the role of CSWs usually state that they provide a full range of access and support services for deaf students and pupils: BSL/English interpreting; manually coded English (eg SSE) communication; notetaking; lipspeaking; language modification etc.
See for example:
The tasks of BSL/English interpreting and of notetaking invariably feature high on the lists, and some also list lipspeaking, language modification and study support as part of the job.
The CACP prefers to use the term 'Educational Communication Support Workers' ( ECSWs), as the only qualification which has ever been available (see below) has been aimed at those working within education.
The role of the CSW dates back to the late 1980s, as a pragmatic response to the lack of individually qualified staff to fulfill necessary access and support roles within post-16 education - and the perceived need for a professional with the adaptability to be able to change role to suit an individual deaf student's shifting requirements (see Green and Nickerson, 1992).
Controversy over the role has existed ever since. The argument that a multi-skilled, adaptable professional is required in educational situations is countered by concerns that, without adequate regulation of professional standards, quality is inevitably compromised; if a student requires two different types of access support, this does not reduce the requirement for a high standard in both types of service. However, at the same time, the institution may see the need for flexibility and versatility as paramount. One experienced college co-ordinator of services stressed the value of CSWs because of their willingness to do a range of tasks.
The lack of resolution over these competing forces means that a job title 'Communication Support Worker' does not, in itself, indicate the types of linguistic access roles or standards of qualifications expected. The ambiguity leads to vagueness and confusion.
It also makes the task of ascertaining the numbers of CSWs, and the access services they provide, doubly difficult: apart from difficulty in establishing the services they are supplying, the secretary of the newly formed Scottish Association of CSWs ( SACSW) pointed out that there are a number of other professionals with arbitrarily generic titles, whose job functions are sometimes the same as those of CSWs (eg learning support assistants etc). This applies within the school as well as the post-school sectors. Section 6.2 (chart 4), above, shows that there is a deaf Communication Support Worker in the schools sector, which suggests a slightly different role again.
Bearing this in mind, between 200 and 300 CSWs are estimated by SACSW to be working in Scotland, approx half of whom are assumed to be in education. The SACSW secretary estimates this number from anecdotal evidence, as well as from the fact that over 200 Scotland based CSWs responded to a feature on the television programme See Hear.
Currently, no CSWs in Scotland are fully registered with SASLI as BSL/English interpreter and only one has associate (trainee) status.
Therefore, only one out of an estimated 100 educational CSWs has recognised interpreting skills. The SACSW understands, from anecdotal evidence, that most CSWs are currently providing interpreting services, for at least part of their time, with a maximum of BSL Level 2.
In their description of the role of CSWs, the RNID are careful to point out that, ' CSWs are not registered interpreters and their services are not offered by RNID Communication Services' (see above weblink).
Likely future developments are discussed later in this section.
15.5.2. TRAINING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS: THE CURRENT SITUATION
Accredited training
The Edexcel Communication Support Worker Award is the only accredited training course which assumes the multi-skilled model (Edexcel is an English exam board). There has been ongoing debate about the content of the training, given the arguments above, and there has been constant pressure to increase the expectations of standards of BSL competence, interpreting skills and qualification in notetaking, lipspeaking etc. For various reasons, there has been recent confusion over the availability of the qualification in England. The CACDP website gives current information at: http://www.cacdp.org.uk/learners/Career-Options/educational-csws.pdf
This CSW qualification has never been available in Scotland and there is no equivalent SQA award.
Code of Practice
NATED is currently up-dating a CSW Code of Practice.
The SACSW secretary stated that the lack of formal structures for quality standards is 'the biggest complaint we get from support workers'.
Registration
As noted above, registration not only provides a means of guaranteeing an agreed professional standard of service, but also leads to clear expectations of working conditions (including health and safety issues) and professional support and training.
The two organisations which provide national registers of BSL/English interpreters are SASLI (Scotland) and CACDP ( UK). Neither organisation has a CSW register.
Professional Association
Various attempts have been made to establish support networks in order to address some of the professional challenges inherent in the CSW role. The SACSW was recently formed in response to the perceived need for CSWs to assert a more independent development.
The UK-wide parent association, the ACSW, is 'looking towards' making membership dependant upon possession of the Edexcel CSW qualification or a minimum of Level 3 BSL and an accredited deaf awareness qualification. In recognition of the fact that few Scottish CSWs had the minimum requirements, it was agreed that these requirements could be waived in Scotland for a year, in order to raise awareness and build up a network.
15.5.3. WORKING CONDITIONS
The lack of agreed standards and lack of clarity over the role leads to varying expectations and varying employment conditions among institutions.
As already described, there are pressures for versatility. There are also financial pressures, as the cost of employing qualified professionals is likely to exceed the funding available in further education (see below).
Therefore it is perhaps unsurprising that there were reports of CSWs being asked to do widely-varying ranges of tasks: BSL/English interpreting; translating notes into BSL; producing BSL videos; professional notetaking; modifying of English; arranging exam access; being an advocate etc. In short, there can be a pressure from employers to 'do everything' ( SACSW secretary).
Health and safety issues were raised, in the context of long hours expected without breaks - with the likely impact of a consequent reduction in quality of service provided to the student.
Institutions may to look towards RNID or the Scottish Deaf Association for advice but most will follow the guideline each council have for general support workers and use that; they refuse to take into account the training and skill involved as a CSW' ( SACSW secretary).
Variations in reports of rates of pay ranged from £6 (just over the minimum wage) through to £19 per hour. Examples were given of some areas where level of pay was equated with that for classroom assistants (approximately £9 per hour). As a contrast, one college was reported as advertising a pay rate of £35k for a CSW post requiring Level 2 in BSL.
One recent example was given of a college-based CSW, who returned to work after the summer holiday to find that their pay rate had been reduced from £19 to £12 per hour - but was still expected to do the same job
RNID currently recommended the following CSW pay rates over the phone to individuals who enquire:
CSW with level 2 BSL: up to £15 per hour
CSW with level 3 BSL: up to £18 per hour
Qualifications relating to other tasks which may be expected (such as notetaking and lipspeaking etc) are not included in advice given, due to the complexities of varying permutations of role, as described above.
Examples were given of students dropping out because levels of interpretation of CSWs were so poor, with people having as little as BSL Level 1 being employed. One CSW interviewee described how he was recently asked to interpret for a student in further education and to 'assist (the student) with his writing'. The rate of pay offered was £8 per hour. He refused the job, but later discovered that someone with BSL Level 1 had accepted the post, and that the student had subsequently withdrawn from the course.
15.5.4. TRAINING AND REGISTRATION: LIKELY DEVELOPMENTS
Training and qualification
CACDP report that Edexcel are currently revamping the CSW accredited training course. CACDP are involved in the development. At the time of writing, the process is reported as being stalled, because of the need to fit the qualification to National Occupational Standards ( NOS) for classroom support workers. The NOS are being developed by the Training and Development Agency and by Lifelong Learning UK for, respectively, pre and post 16 providers.
If the plans work out, it is expected that the new course will offer the following:
- A qualification in Educational Support Work with Deaf Learners in either schools or further education (from Edexcel);
- A qualification in Facilitating Communication (from CACDP).
A choice of 'facilitating' units would be offered by CACDP to enable different routes to qualification, depending on whether the worker intends to mainly work with BSL users or spoken English users, and whether they mainly provide (or intend to provide) notetaking/lipspeaking etc services. If they wish to provide a wide range of services, they would be able to take additional units accordingly. At the time of writing, two of the facilitating units are still to be accredited.
The concept of ' BSL/English communication facilitation', as opposed to ' BSL/English interpretation' is introduced at Level 3 (see Appendix 3 for detail of comparative levels of other BSL provision). Consequently, there is an implication that there is some degree of trade-off between quality of interpretation and range of services offered by the same worker.
More detail is available at: http://www.cacdp.org.uk/learners/Career-Options/educational-csws.pdf
There is also an implication that there will need to be a standardised means for CSWs to be defined by the role(s) they perform. An institution needs to clearly be able to identify/ distinguish the range of services a worker is expected to provide - and an individual worker needs to be able to clearly identify the range and level of competencies within their qualification.
It would seem to be timely for an appropriate training/qualification development in Scotland (eg within the SQA's Professional Development Award provision), which would take account of the distinct nature of the Scottish situation.
Registration
Both SASLI and CACDP are currently considering the possibility of establishing respective registers of CSWs.
15.6. RECOMMENDATIONS
- There is a general need to consider the establishment of shared pools of specialist LSPs and support tutors, because of the fluctuating numbers of deaf students within individual institutions, and the diversity of their individual access and support requirements. The proposed Centre for Linguistic Access could have a key role here.
- It would be useful to establish the number of deaf adults working in F/ HE, at all levels.
- There is a general need for institutions to provide consistent and appropriate rates of pay for specialist LSPs and support tutors. The proposed Centre for Linguistic Access would be able to provide ongoing information and advice.
BSL/English interpreters
- There continues to be an acute shortage of BSL/English interpreters. Advantage needs to be taken of the opportunities afforded by:
- the existence of a newly graduated group of BSL Tutor trainers;
- a raft of SQA/Heriot Watt/Edinburgh University proposals to boost all levels and types of BSL training, particularly at advanced and degree levels;
- the possibility of introducing a 'fast-track' apprenticeship route for interpreter training. - The possibility of establishing a specialist career route in educational interpreting should be considered, in light of the distinct nature of interpreting within educational situations.
Notetakers
- Both institutions and deaf students themselves need to be made aware of the importance of using appropriately qualified professionals to take notes for deaf students.
- Appropriate, standardised pay scales and working conditions should be implemented across Scottish institutions.
- The above would raise demand for professionally qualified notetakers, leading to a sharp increase in demand for relevant training opportunities in Scotland. There is likely to be more demand for electronic notetakers than for manual notetakers.
- It will be interesting to monitor the effects of the new CACDP professional register of notetakers and implications for the potential of developing of a Scottish register.
Lipspeakers
- More information is needed on the potential value of lipspeaking in F&HE.
Communication Support Workers
- There is a pressing need to clarify the role of the CSW and the standards and appropriate employment conditions expected.
There is a particular need to resolve the dilemma caused by the demand for a single professional to adapt to different access and support roles, and the need for professional standards needed to meet the requirements of the tasks expected (eg BSL/English interpreting, notetaking etc).
In Scottish F&HE, the balance currently appears to be tipped towards a high expectation of adaptability and a low expectation of professional standards.
- CACDP and Edexcel aim to resolve the dilemma by creating a qualification with the flexibility to 'mix and match' specialised pathways leading to particular functions or roles. There is a need for an adaptation, or equivalent development, in Scotland to take account of the distinctiveness of the Scottish situation.
- The lack of clarity of the CSW role currently mitigates against the establishment of a professional register. Once the role becomes clearly defined, the establishment of a professional register will be beneficial to CSWs, deaf students and employers.
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