Support for the Families of Deaf Children

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:17 pm on 12 February 2019.

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Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 2:17, 12 February 2019

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?