6. Will the First Minister make a statement on support for the families of deaf children? OAQ53397

I thank Nick Ramsay for that. A national framework of action was launched in 2017 to promote the care and support for people who are deaf or living with hearing loss. It commits the Welsh Government, health boards and local authorities to work together to improve services, including support for the families of deaf children. 

Thank you, First Minister. I'm sure you're aware of the recent news story that Ros and Josh Hannam from Monmouthshire are having to pay £6,000 for sign language classes to help communicate with their deaf daughter, Lola. The couple have received funding through the local authority's sensory and communication service, but are having to fundraise to make up the shortfall themselves—valuable time that would otherwise be spent with their daughter. Debbie Thomas from the National Deaf Children's Society has said that parents of deaf children currently face a postcode lottery when it comes to funding for these sign language classes that are so crucial to helping their social and educational development. Can I ask that the Welsh Government's review—because I know you've committed to one—of the British Sign Language funding takes place as swiftly as possible so that all deaf children, regardless of where they live, get the best possible start in life?

I'm very happy to confirm to the Member the timetable for that review. We expect tenders for the work to be received by 25 February, that the contract will be awarded early in March, that the field work will take place between March and May and that advice to Ministers will be received by the end of June of this year. So, I think that is a pretty rapid turnaround for a very important piece of work. To agree, Llywydd, with what Ramsay said, this is a piece of—the responsibility for these services lies with local authorities. I have seen figures that show a very wide range of charges that are imposed by different local authorities in Wales, and the point of the review is to try to make sure that we have a service that is fair, equitable and co-ordinated, and where people don't feel that they are at the mercy of the geography of where they happen to live.

Can I join with Nick Ramsay in talking about the importance of sign language, not just to parents but also to siblings—an opportunity to be able to talk to other members of the family? I said last week, it's the first language of many deaf people.

Following on from what Nick Ramsay said, it's not only just about cost, it's about availability, and there is a serious problem of having people who are capable of teaching sign language. If we made it free to everybody who wanted it, in many cases, it wouldn't make a huge difference because there aren't enough people to teach it. So, what can be done to increase the number of people able to teach sign language so that more people can learn how to talk to their siblings, so parents can talk to their children, so we've got a situation where equality exists?

Well, Llywydd, can I thank Mike Hedges for that very important follow-up question? This National Assembly formally recognised BSL as a language in its own right as long ago as 2004. And he's right that it is every bit as much a language as any other language for many of the families who use it, and there is a shortage of interpreters and tutors here in Wales.

The review will look at that issue as well. It will look at existing provision, it will consider costs and access, but it will also look at ways in which we can improve the flow of people properly equipped and able to provide the sorts of courses that Nick Ramsay referred to and which his constituents are hoping to be able to use.