Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader is Megan Laird, who is a National Deaf Children’s Society young changemaker.
It is a great honour to lead time for reflection today, at the start of deaf awareness week. My name is Megan Laird. I am 14 years old and from Kennoway in Fife. I attend Levenmouth academy. I am deaf.
I was diagnosed as deaf at the age of eight and was given my hearing aid not long after. Well before that, my parents felt that there was something off with my hearing, but professionals told them that everything was normal. After all, I had passed my newborn hearing tests. When I was finally diagnosed, I was very lucky to have a fantastic audiologist. I also got the intensive speech therapy that I needed, which has allowed me to address the Scottish Parliament today.
Deaf awareness week is a time of celebration, but it is also a time to reflect on the support that deaf people should be getting by right.
I am one of 4,000 deaf children and young people in Scotland. I have been amazed by what my deaf peers have done despite the barriers that too many of them still face. However, statistics show that because I am deaf I am twice as likely to leave school with no qualifications. There is still a huge attainment gap. We are desperate for change.
People think that every deaf person uses British Sign Language, but because there is little provision to teach BSL in schools it often is not an option for us. Deaf young people like me might miss out on vital language skills because of that.
Through the National Deaf Children’s Society, I learned about the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015. I talked to my school about including BSL in the curriculum. My headteacher, Ms McFarlane, welcomed the idea. I cannot tell you what a huge turnaround that was. On my first day at high school, only a few teachers knew that I was deaf and how to support me. I now have a great teacher of the deaf. They have made sure that all staff in the school have deaf awareness training. The equipment that I have the right to access is now available.
There are currently 40 per cent fewer teachers of the deaf in Scotland than there were 10 years ago. I am now getting the help that I need, but all deaf children should be getting that vital support, so let us make this deaf awareness week a catalyst for change.
I stand here as a young deaf Scottish individual. I ask all members of the Scottish Parliament to spend some time this week considering the needs of deaf young people like me. Although I am doing well now, my deafness was not recognised when it should have been. I have had to fight for the support that I need. Let us make rights real for every deaf child and young person.
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