Recognition of Deafblindness. |
Recognition of Deafblindness. |
In this section there are information about the countries where deafblindness is recognised and countries that are in the process of recognising deafblindness. This would be helpful information for countries want to start the process of trying to achieve recognition."There is official recognition of deafblindness in Norway, Romania, the UK, Denmark, Sweden and France. Outside Europe there is recognition of deafblindness in Nepal and Columbia.
UK
In England and Wales recognition is given in guidance to local authorities. This guidance is attached to an existing law and it is statutory so local authorities must make it is implemented. The guidance requires all social services to identify deafblind people in each local authority; provide a specialist assessment; provide specialist services; provide one to one support; ensure there is a senior manager responsible for deafblind services and provide information in accessible formats. It has a definition which is based on the social model of disability. It says that "persons are regarded as deafblind if their combined sight and hearing impairment causes difficulties with communication, access to information and mobility".
Denmark
"Deafblind" is mentioned in §98 of the Danish Social Legislation in the section on guide help for persons with a significant physical or mental impairment.
Paragraph 98 reads: "To the extent necessary, the municipal council must provide assistance in the form of a special contact person for persons who are deafblind."
(Danish wording: "Kommunalbestyrelsen skal i fornødent omfang tilbyde hjælp i form af en særlig kontaktperson til personer, som er døvblinde").
Link to complete Danish legislation on social affairs: http://147.29.40.90/_GETDOCI_/ACCN/A20070005829-REGL
Romania
Recognition of deafblindness happened as a result of repeated lobbying by Sense International Romania and its partners (The Parents Association and the Adults Association ran awareness campaigns around deafblindness). They bombarded the Government with requests and as a result deafblindness was recognised as a specfic disability in legislation. This legislation has now been updated for all disabled people and deafblind people are included in a special category of disabled people.
When they were campaigning they asked for four important things that were specific to deafblindness. They wanted deafblindness to be recognised in law as a specific disability; they wanted deafblind people to have the right to have an intervener/communicator guide; they asked for the right to have professional interpreters and the right for deafblind people to use their own method of communication, that they had chosen themselves.
The new law no. 448 with regard to the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of People with Disabilities issued in December 18th 2006 by the Romanian Parliament recognises "deafblindness as a unique type of disability, the law recognises the right of the deafblind person to have a personal assistant (they use that word because the law refers to other disabilities as well) and the law stresses the right of the deafblind person to use the means of communication adequate to his needs.
Work in progress in Spain, Italy and Austria to achieve recognition of deafblindness in legislation. Please let us know if there is work happening in your country as we want to keep up to date with the situation across Europe and provide advice and support where appropriate."
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