Face masks and deaf children/adults

Lisatho11987777 · April 2021

I have recently been campaigning for deaf children/adults haveing to wear face masks in schools we got a 44,000 petion but we lost the government have said they still have to wear face masks we will carry on our campaign

I just wanted to see what your thoughts are do you think the government is right ?

Sheree_8 · April 2021

It is a difficult time as whole for everyone. Even harder for Deaf people. I totally support for what you are aiming for. But I do think the government needs to rework the type of face masks out there. I am currently learning BSL LEVEL 1 through my own choices, but I now do believe that the government needs to invest also in making it compulsory to teach it in. Schools early in, so the community can converse even more, and reduce the social exclusion there currently is with Deaf community

chiarieds · April 2021

For those in the hearing impaired community, clear masks have been available for some time to assist with lip reading, e.g. https://shop.disabilityhorizons.com/products/ppe/lip-reading-face-mask-uk/ As these are of low cost, I would have thought it reasonable that these could be purchased by a child's parents, & also used by teachers.

The government guidelines state children under 11 don't need to wear a face mask, nor if you're with anyone relying on lip reading to communicate......they are exempt. Please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/disabled-people-exempt-from-wearing-face-coverings-under-new-government-guidance so the needs of those who need to lip read have already been considered since 24 July 2020.

The National Deaf Children's Society say under 'Government advice on face masks and coverings,' e.g. ''In England,.....Schools and colleges are expected to be sensitive to the needs of deaf children in deciding whether it’s appropriate to wear a face covering. Guidance states that ‘transparent face coverings’ can be worn......Guidance also highlights that reasonable adjustments should be made to support disabled young people and that those adjustments should be discussed with the young person and the family......In Wales, .... In education, face coverings should be worn by staff and pupils over the age of 11 in communal areas and/or on school transport. They should also be worn in classrooms where social distancing is not possible. Otherwise, guidance does not require their use in the classroom. Schools have also been told to specifically consider the implications around face coverings for deaf children, as well as other learners.''

Please see: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/face-masks-and-communication-coronavirus-info-for-families-of-deaf-children/

Looking online, I found this government press release from 5 Sept. 2020 : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-delivers-250000-clear-face-masks-to-support-people-with-hearing-loss which says, '250,000 clear face masks are to be delivered to frontline NHS and social care workers to support better care for people who use lip-reading and facial expressions to communicate'.

So I'm unsure what the government is doing wrong in this case; they seem both supportive & sensitive to those with a hearing impairment, rather than saying they 'have' to wear a face mask in school.