From: Co-Founder Femaura [femaura2@gmail.com]
Sent: 18 February 2011 14:44
To: DWP Consultation DLAReform
Subject: Femaura

Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed


 Dear DWP

Femaura is a new charity which promotes Deaf people and aims to improve their quality of their lives.

1. We are concerned that the interpreters cost more money, which DLA is not enough to covered. One interpreter assignment for three hours will cost approx £160.00.  Deaf people will require about 2 times per day to communicate during the day and 1 interpreter assignment during the evening.

2. Our deaf clients feel that the assessments should should widened to include the  linguistics and social model; including awareness of deaf culture, community and history, rather than focussing on medical model.

3. We feel that deaf clients should awarded at the top level of personal care and mobility due to spending money to cover the support worker or interpreter costs.

4. Independent healthcare officer - if a deafmute BSL signer is being assessed, the assessment officer should be also deafmute BSL officering order  to assess their needs, rather than someone who has no knowledge of Deaf issues.  We like to make you aware that disability training or Equality and Diversity training does not cover enough awareness about Deaf people and the issues they face.

5. Regarding  the application forms, Deaf people should be allowed to have a face to face meeting, with a BSL interpreter or Deaf interpreter to allow for any  form filling, and also for any meetings with DWP.

6. Assessors must be deaf aware

7.When dealing with DLA in the past, once they know someone is Deaf, I find that two years later they ask if you become hearing or if your hearing has improved - this repeated reviewing is quite frustrating! If someone is born Deaf, they can never again become hearing in their life.This is the problem.

Thank you very much.

Yi Savva
Trustee of Femaura Charity