FAQs

The short answer is ‘yes’! The Equality Act 2010 says service providers must not discriminate against people with disabilities and that they have to make reasonable adjustments so that people who are disabled, including people who are Deaf, do not have serious difficulties using their services. Understanding your client and their communication needs will allow you to book the right form of support for them to ensure that all communications are effective and efficient. There are many different types of communication professionals which can all be found on the website. It is very important that you choose the right type of support.

BSL interpreters are trained to translate between British Sign Language (BSL) and spoken or written English in a variety of domains. Interpreters will facilitate communication between Deaf and hearing participants, and work to ensure that everyone understands and can fully participate in the conversation. BSL interpreters are registered with an appropriate registration body. Just Sign interpreters are required to be registered with either Scottish Register of Language Professionals with the Deaf Community (SRLPDC) or National Registers of Communication Professionals with the Deaf and Deafblind Community (NRCPD). All interpreters are required to follow a code of professional conduct, and any information discussed during an interpreted conversation will be treated confidentially by the interpreter. BSL interpreters are expected to act in an impartial manner. It is not the role of an interpreter to offer advice or personal opinions, nor to advocate on behalf of a Deaf person.

Deaf BSL users prefer to use BSL as this is their first language. British Sign Language has a different grammatical structure and is linguistically different from English. Lip-reading is also not an appropriate method of communication as studies have shown that only around 20% to 30% of what is being said can be understood through lip-reading, with the remaining information having to be guessed based on context. Lip-reading is also only a one-way communication method, as the Deaf person may not be able to make themselves understood by the hearing person.

Interpreting between two languages is a demanding and complex task which can be mentally tiring. Studies have shown that after a period of continuous interpreting, an interpreter may begin to experience a cognitive decline, and become more likely to make errors in their interpretation. By having a second interpreter, they can swap and allow the other to take a break so as not to burn out too quickly. Interpreters will generally work for fifteen to twenty minutes before swapping. We always consider assignments on an individual basis, giving consideration to the type of assignment, the complexity of what this will involve, and our own safe working practices to ensure interpreters are not being overworked in an assignment. On this basis we will recommend whether one or two interpreters will be required, however we would generally recommend that if the assignment is more than one hour, two interpreters will be required.

Qualified interpreters have been through a rigorous training process, which often takes several years to complete, and have been fully assessed as competent in their interpreting skills and therefore fit to practice. In addition to the cognitive and language skills required, qualified interpreters will also be trained to manage ethical issues, and to follow the code of conduct as set out by their registration body. If an individual who has some knowledge of BSL offers, or is asked to interpret, it would not be appropriate for them to do so. Although they may mean well by offering to help, they will likely not have the language fluency to convey complex ideas and concepts and would not be working to any recognised professional standards. Under the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015, it is a Deaf person’s right to have a fully qualified and registered interpreter if required.

A qualified interpreter is someone who has achieved their Level 6 qualification (or equivalent) in BSL and interpreting and have been assessed as competent and fit to practice as an interpreter in any domain. A trainee interpreter will be currently undertaking these qualifications under the guidance of a supervisor but is still deemed as fit to practice in certain domains. A trainee interpreter should not be booked to interpret for court or legal proceedings, police, or mental health assignments. In some cases, a trainee interpreter may co-work with a qualified interpreter, who will be able to support the trainee during the assignment.

Interpreters will often book work weeks and even months in advance. In recent years, demand for BSL interpreters has increased dramatically, so it is recommended that you request an interpreter as far in advance as possible. Although we will always endeavour to secure interpreters for last-minute requests, we cannot guarantee provision as interpreters may have less availability at short notice. It is important to recognise that interpreters may choose not to work in specific domains, which further limits availability for booking interpreters.

Our office operates on office hours, and our phones and emails are only monitored between 9am and 5pm. We can provide interpreters for assignments outside of office hours, if this is booked beforehand. We do not operate an out-of-hours or emergency service.

It is helpful if you can provide preparation materials before an event, to allow the interpreter time to familiarise themselves with the content, specific language and jargon terms, and any unfamiliar concepts. Preparation materials may include PowerPoint slides, handouts, videos, reports, agendas, or minutes from previous meetings.

There are several options to get in touch with us and arrange an interpreter. If you would like to speak to our team directly, please call our office on 0345 646 0446. Alternatively, click on the Enquire button at the top of the page, which will take you to a Contact form on our website to request an interpreter. In this form you will be asked to provide details about your appointment/event, including date, time, duration, and details of what the event is about, as well as your contact information. Please be aware that submitting this form is only a request for us to begin the process of securing an interpreter. It does not guarantee that an interpreter has been booked.

Once we have an interpreter secured for the time and date you have requested, we will send an email confirming the booking. If we are unable to secure an interpreter, we will contact you to offer alternative times or dates where an interpreter has indicated that they have availability, if these are suitable to you.

Please contact office@justsign.co.uk immediately to advise of any changes. This may incur a cancellation fee as per our Terms & Conditions, which are detailed within our confirmation letter.

A Deaf relay interpreter is a qualified Deaf person who works alongside a BSL interpreter to support a Deaf client who has other specific language needs, such as someone who is not fluent in BSL, is originally from another country and uses a different signed language, has learning difficulties or mental health issues that impact on their communication skills. When working with a BSL interpreter and a Deaf relay interpreter, the BSL interpreter will translate the spoken English into BSL, and the Deaf relay interpreter will then take the BSL and sign it in a way that more closely matches the client’s language needs. When the client signs, the Deaf relay interpreter will translate this into BSL, and the BSL interpreter will then translate this into spoken English.

A notetaker is trained to write notes, usually on a laptop, to create a transcript of the spoken English. The transcript will not be exactly verbatim but contains all the information discussed in the session. These notes are then provided to the client afterwards. Notetakers can also provide live transcription. This is done using two devices connected via Bluetooth – one device will be used by the notetaker to write the transcript of the spoken English, and the other device will be used by the client to read the notes as they are being written. A copy of the transcript can also be provided to the client afterwards.

Notetaking is difficult for a Deaf student to do themselves, as they must constantly move between watching the interpreter, watching PowerPoint slides, and trying to write notes at the same time. An electronic notetaker can sit in the class, or via online, and write a transcript of what is said during the session, so that the student can focus on watching the interpreter. The notetaker will then send over a copy of the notes for the student after the class. For a non-BSL user, live transcription may be the preferred method for accessing spoken English.

A Deafblind interpreter is trained to interpret for someone who is Deafblind. This involves interpreting using either manual or tactile signing. Manual signing involves the interpreter touching the Deafblind person’s hands to spell out words, whilst tactile signing involves the Deafblind person touching the interpreter’s hands and following their BSL signs.

A lipspeaker is a communication professional who is trained to reproduce a speaker’s utterances in a way that is easy to lipread. A lipspeaker may also use facial expressions, gestures and in some cases, additional signs or fingerspelling, to enhance the communication.

If an interpreter is booked to interpret for the police, this interpreter can then be called as a witness by the procurator fiscal. Therefore, the same interpreter cannot be used to interpret for a solicitor or the court during a trial diet, as this would be viewed as a conflict of interest. The court interpreter should be neutral and should not have access to any prior information or have any prior involvement in the case.

BSL interpreters can work online, and this has become a more common request since the Covid-19 pandemic. Interpreters can work via online video platforms such as Zoom or MS Teams. Interpreters are not responsible for setting up an online meeting, so you would be required to provide a link for the meeting as soon as possible. If you would like to discuss whether an assignment would be more suitable face-to-face or online, please contact us and we can advise.