Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of access to Communication Support Workers for post-18 year old deaf students.

As set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010, all education and training providers, and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including those with a hearing impairment, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.

Education and training providers should assess the individual needs of the student and put in place the appropriate assistance. Where necessary, an education and training provider can arrange for a student to be supported by a Communication Support Worker.

University students can be supported by Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) which covers disability‑related study costs and ensure hearing impaired students have equal access to learning. Feedback from stakeholders shows that British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters are more suitable in a higher education setting. Therefore, DSA funds BSL interpreters rather than Communication Support Workers.