The following is a list of Non-Spoken Language Professionals which can be provided on the Language Services Contract with the MOJ.

BSL/English Interpreters

A BSL/English interpreter is a professional who translates between British Sign Language and English. All of our BSL interpreters are registered with the NRCPD or the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters (SASLI) and have at least NVQ level 4 BSL (or equivalent) and have at least 2 years post-qualifying experience.

Sign Supported English Interpreters

This can be provided by BSL Interpreters, however English words and grammar signs are used instead of BSL, that has a grammar and structure all its own.

Deaf Relay Interpreters – Foreign, Mental Health or LD

Deaf relay interpreting is a specialist service provided by Deaf people for individuals who have additional communication needs perhaps due to being from another country, having limited language skills or having a learning difficulty or mental health problem which affects their ability to communicate effect. They will act as part of a team with qualified sign language Interpreters to make sure all parties have a full understanding of the information provided.

Foreign Sign Language Interpreters

These are provided if the user is sign language user but not British. Alternatively, a relay interpreter could be provided.

Deafblind Interpreters

Deafblind people use a variety of ways to communicate, depending on their residual sight and hearing. Some Deafblind people can hear speech, lipread and use sign language. Many of those who cannot hear speech or see sufficiently to follow lipreading or casual sign language use some form of tactile communication.

Manual signing: Uses fingerspelling and signs which the interpreter spells out on the individual’s hand.

Hands-on signing: The Deafblind person puts their hands over the hands of the interpreter to feel the shape and movement of the signs that they are making.

Visual Frame: This is provided by a BSL/English Interpreter who signs within the Deafblind user’s visual field.

Speech to Text Reporting (STTR)

Palantype/Stenography is one method of machine shorthand used to provide a verbatim transcript of meetings. Speech is recorded on a specially designed keyboard which then appears instantly on screen for the Deaf person. You would book this if the Deaf person’s first language is English.

Electronic and Manual Notetakers

Not often requested at court, because they provide only a summary of what was said instead of a verbatim account (see Speech to Text Reporting above), nevertheless a Deaf person may request the services of a notetaker whose notes may be provided electronically as a file or manually as written notes.

Lipspeakers and Lipreaders

Lipspeakers accurately communicate speech to a Deaf individual using clear mouth patterns, reproducing the rhythm and phrasing of the speech and using facial expressions and natural gesture to clearly communicate the message. They may also use fingerspelling and some basic sign language depending on the person’s requirements. All Clarion UK Lipspeakers are qualified to level 3 and registered with NRCPD.

Lip-reader will often assist the police with CCTV, covert surveillance, etc; there may be CCTV footage of someone speaking to another person and, as there is no sound, it is impossible to hear what is being said. Lip-reading enables some understanding of the dialogue.

Deaf Expert Witnesses and Deaf Forensic Services
The Deaf expert you need could be a clinical psychologist, Consultant Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, Speech and Language Therapist, Social Worker, or experienced legal interpreter experienced with working with Deaf people in forensic settings over several years.

Remote, Video Interpreting

Our Online Remote Interpreting Services brings a fully qualified and NRCPD registered BSL/English Interpreter to you, remotely via your web browser.

Transcription

Transcripts of statements can be provided in BSL or vice versa.