This is the British Sign Language (BSL) Plan for the PIRC, as required by BSL (Scotland) Act. It sets out actions we will take over the period 2018-2023.
It follows the BSL National Plan 2017-2023, published 24 October 2017 by the Scottish Government, which was developed through extensive engagement with Deaf and Deafblind BSL users and those who work with them.
The PIRC’s plan will be used until 2023. It will share the same long-term goals as the BSL national plan, where these are relevant to the work of this organisation.
The British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 has three main goals for the PIRC. These are:
- To improve communication and access for people who use BSL who wish to work for the PIRC
- To improve communication and access for members of the public requesting a Complaint Handling Review
- To improve communication and access for members of the public who, in some capacity, are involved in a PIRC investigation.
We confirm our commitment to protecting and supporting BSL, including in its tactile form. We will do this by facilitating BSL awareness training for staff who may work with BSL users, and signpost to appropriate training. We will also review our website and literature to ensure appropriate access for BSL users.
The PIRC will continue engagement around these actions and will provide feedback on our progress.
The PIRC will contribute to the national progress report in 2020.