About Edinburgh's second BSL plan
Our ambition is for British Sign Language (BSL) users to be fully involved in daily and public life in Edinburgh. We want BSL users to be able to make informed choices about every aspect of their lives.
Now that the Scottish Government has published their second plan for 2023-2029, councils and other public organisations must publish their own BSL plans. The plans must outline how they will promote and raise awareness of the language.
This is Edinburgh’s second plan, which will cover the period 2025 to 2030.
Download the British Sign Language plan 2025 to 2030
The plan sets out our ambitions and broad actions for this second phase to 2030. It builds on the progress we have made since 2018 when the first plan was published. During this period, partners have focused on the delivery of actions to improve
- awareness of BSL among Council colleagues
- accessibility for BSL users
- communications to BSL users.
We have developed the plan around nine themes, in line with the national plan, to help us to achieve this ambition
- delivering the BSL plan
- BSL accessibility
- children, young people and their families
- access to employment
- health and wellbeing
- celebrating BSL culture
- transport
- access to justice
- democratic participation.
We will review and revise the plan throughout its lifespan to make sure that it is as effective as possible. We will also respond to developments and challenges as they emerge.
About the BSL Act in Scotland
The British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 came into force in October 2015. It aims to make Scotland the best place in the world to live, work and visit, for people whose first or preferred language is BSL.