Creating a fairer Britain
Introduction of an SMS text messaging service for deaf and hard-of-hearing people in Tayside. Promoting better awareness of the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people among staff
Tayside Police SMS text messaging service aims to improve the accessibility of its services and communications with people who cannot use other available means to contact the police. During the development of their Disability Equality Scheme in 2006, deaf and hard-of-hearing people advised Tayside Police that for them, contact with the Force Communication Centre (FCC) was not as accessible as it was for hearing people. In response, officers from the FCC worked closely with the Sound Sense Project, which is part of the Tayside Association for the Deaf, to carry out some research to assess the value and availability of a similar system that was in use in Fife Constabulary. The findings from this research were positive and the Force implemented its SMS text messaging service in June 2008.
The Tayside Association for the Deaf and Sound Sense Project have been instrumental in building a database of potential users of this service. Registrants have agreed to share their contact details with other relevant agencies, for example local authorities, to help improve accessibility of their services.
In addition, Deaf Awareness Days were organised, in partnership with Tayside Deaf Association and Sound Sense Project, in each of the three Divisions in Tayside. These brought together public bodies and the voluntary sector to promote registration and uptake of the scheme.
To implement this project, a significant amount of planning and discussion took place over a period of 18 months. During this time, there was consultation with the main stakeholders and potential users to develop the registration form and marketing materials, and a business case for the new project was submitted to the Force Executive.
The outcome of this work includes the registration of approximately 70 deaf or hard-of-hearing people during 2008. The next stage of the project is to develop a short online video in British Sign Language (BSL), promoting the availability of the text messaging service. Once again, this will be developed in partnership with other service providers. This initiative is supported by the Dundee Equality and Diversity Partnership, which will contribute towards the costs and make the BSL information available on its website (with a link to individual agencies’ websites).
This work has contributed to mainstreaming equality into the work of Tayside Police. The FCC had responsibility for ensuring that all necessary resources were made available and the head of the FCC took ownership of the project and proactively supported his staff to work with all relevant departments, seeking advice when needed. The FCC will monitor use and report back regularly to the Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) via the Force’s strategic management Diversity Development Group (which the DCC chairs).
Finally, by offering deaf, hard-of-hearing, speech-impaired and other vulnerable people an additional means of communicating with the FCC, this initiative represents another step towards improving communication and access to services for a section of the community who cannot take advantage of all the different means available to the wider public. This clearly demonstrates the Force’s desire to identify and remove barriers, so that disabled members of the community have the same opportunity as other people to use the services.