The British Deaf Association (BDA) welcomes the Government’s Third BSL Report as an important milestone in implementing the BSL Act 2022. We are encouraged by signs of progress - such as five-year departmental plans, increased BSL content in some departments, and continued engagement through the BSL Advisory Board. These developments reflect growing awareness of deaf signing communities across government. However, real change will only come with a fully resourced, strategic approach that sees deaf BSL signers as full participants in public life; not just as audiences for translated content.
We continue to call for stronger action where it is most needed. BSL access remains inconsistent across departments, and minimum standards must be established to ensure equity. Internal capability within the civil service needs urgent attention, alongside a co-produced national strategy for early years BSL support for deaf children and their families. We also urge a shift from counting outputs to measuring outcomes, so we can truly understand the impact on deaf people’s lives.
The BDA remains committed to working collaboratively with government and partners to turn recognition into lasting change. We call for clear benchmarks, early years investment, and cultural change within the civil service to embed BSL across all services. The BSL Act marks the start of a generational shift; one that must lead to real everyday equity, of seeing deaf BSL signers delivering professional BSL-led solutions across the UK, not treated as passive objects. As our Chair Dr. Robert Adams said, “Recognition without implementation is not enough—we must keep building towards a future of equity, not exception.”