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Comparison with Finland

In Europe, Finland has approximately the same population as Scotland. In 1995, the Finnish Government added a section to the Finnish Constitution that gave the legal protection to those using Finnish sign language. Recognising the status of Sign Language in the Constitution was a big step towards achieving linguistic equality, and it had a significance of principle for the Deaf community. The people using Sign Language were, for the first time, seen as a linguistic and cultural group.

The population of Finland is approximately 5.3 million, and there are about 5,000 Deaf people. There are approximately 750 registered Sign Language Interpreters. (Figures from the European Union of the Deaf (EUD) 2009 website: page for The Finnish Association of the Deaf – http://www.eud.eu/Finland-i-182.html)

This means the ratio of sign language users to interpreters is 1: 6.

Scotland, on the other hand, has a population of approximately 5.1 million, and there are about 6,000 BSL users. (There are no definitive statistics for the number of deaf people in Scotland; therefore the number of BSL users is a projected percentage of the population from figures gathered on an annual basis by RNID form surveys of its membership). There are less than 60 registered BSL/English interpreters, which means the ratio of BSL users to interpreters is 1:100.

There are 51.5 full time equivalent SASLI (Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters) registered and trainee interpreters working across Scotland – 39.5 full time equivalent registered and 12 trainees. There are also 10 apprentice BSL/English Interpreters. Additionally there are 3 BSL/English Interpreters living and working in Scotland who are registered only with NRCPD – the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People, and a further 9 registered and trainee Interpreters who work occasionally, as they have full time jobs outside the field of Interpreting. The Scottish Government has funded SASLI to provide the £1.5m Building Bridges project. This project is responsible for the apprenticeship scheme that provides a unique opportunity for Deaf and hearing people to train as BSL/English interpreters.