Organisations for communication support
RNID Communication Services Units
Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP) Access to Work(AtW)Business CentresThe RNID arranges communication support - notetakers, lipspeakers, British Sign Language and Sign Supported English interpreters and speech-to-text operators – through Communication Services Units (CSUs) covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. But if you don't want to depend on a RNID CSU to book communication support you can make the booking yourself with a particular agency or professional if you can find a copy of the CACDP Directory;or, if you need a lipspeaker, by using the UK Directory of Lipspeakers available on the website of the Association of Lipspeakers.
However there is a severe shortage of all types of qualified communicator; so book your communicator at least a month in advance if you can.
Secondly, remember that to be sure of getting the communicator paid for through
Access to Work you or your employer must first apply to your nearest Access to Work(AtW) Business Centre to authorise the booking. The AtW Adviser will have to authorise the booking for each job interview; but once you are employed, or if you are self-employed, the AtW Adviser should authorise Access to Work funding for communication support for a certain number of events within a given period (e.g. a month or a year).RNID Communication Services Units
There is a CSU for each of the following areas:
RNID London/South East
Tel: 020 7296 8064/8066 (Voice) 020 7296 8065 (Text)
Fax: 020 7296 8083
RNID Central (Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire)
Tel: 01296 392294(Voice) 01296 392295 (Text)
Fax: 01296 381103
RNID South West
Tel: 01225 873590 (Voice) Fax: 01225 874246
0800 622 401 (Voice/Text Answerphone)
RNID West Midlands
Tel: 01902 423717 (Voice) 01902 423716 (Text)
Fax: 01902 714456 01902 310116 (Video)
RNID North West
Tel: 0161 242 2368 (Voice) 0161 2371 (Text)
Fax: 0161 242 2317
RNID Merseyside
Tel: 0151 709 3663 (Voice) 0151 709 3833 (Text)
Fax: 0151 228 4872
RNID South Yorkshire
Tel: 01709 372163 (Voice) 01709 372182 (Text)
Fax: 01709 373643
RNID North East
Tel: 0161 242 2263 (Voice) 0161 242 2371 (Text)
Fax: 0161 242 2317. . 01642 312355 (Text)
RNID Wales
Tel: 01792 324477 (Voice) 01792 324455 (Text)
Fax: 01792 324422
RNID Scotland
Tel: 0141 550 5760 (Voice/ Text) Fax: 0141 554 9726
RNID Northern Ireland
Tel: 028 9023 9619 (Voice/Text) 028 9031 2033 (Text)
Fax: 028 9031 2032
Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP)
Durham University Science Park
Block 4
Stockton Road
Durham DH1 3UZ
Tel: 0191 383 1155 (Voice) 0191 383 7915 (Text)
Fax: 0191 383 7914
Email:
durham@cacdp.demon.co.ukThe CACDP has produced a Directory with a list of BSL interpreters, lipspeakers and speech-to-text operators who have met its requirements for current registration. By consulting this Directory it is possible to identify agencies and individuals qualified to provide various types of communication support in each region.
The CACDP Directory is expensive to buy (£17 in 2001); but you may be able to find a copy in your local Reference Library, and CACDP has plans to produce an electronic version soon.
ALS Information Office
68,Victoria Road
Oxford OX2 7QE
Tel/Fax: 01865 559497
Email:
information@lipspeaking.co.uk
Access to Work(AtW) Business Centres
To find your nearest AtW Business Centre click here.