Following the publication of my Independent Report on Autism and Employment back in February, there has been a huge amount of interest and support for its findings. As part of my review, I spoke to thousands of organisations and autistic individuals themselves, drawing on all of their experiences, ideas and good practice in the report and recommendations.
After many months of hard work, I was very pleased to speak at a Backbench Business Debate in Parliament on the Buckland Review of Autism Employment last Thursday. During the Debate, I urged the Government, Businesses, and the wider economy to implement those important recommendations.
The link to watch the debate, as well as the link to my report and also an easy-read version, can be found on my website under the news section. https://www.robertbuckland.co.uk/news
I was very pleased to be back at the Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology last Friday for an event with the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce and a conversation with local businesses. When it comes to our businesses here in Swindon, large and small, I will continue to champion their work in Parliament whenever I can, as well as attending local events with organisations like Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, which represent the voice of businesses here in Swindon and beyond.
On Sunday evening, I was delighted to be back at the Deanery Academy for a fabulous Swindon Swing Birds Concert. With thanks to the Swing Birds for a truly magnificent performance, and my old friend, Gordon Timms for all of his wonderful fundraising efforts over the years.
As we approach Deaf Awareness Week (May 6 – 12th) I warmly welcome the Conservative Government’s announcement of the introduction of a British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE in September to help break down barriers for the deaf community.
This news follows the Conservative Government's introduction of the British Sign Language Act on 28th April 2022, when for the first time in our history, this legally recognised BSL as a language in England, Scotland, and Wales. It also required the Secretary of State for Education to provide regular updates on how the government are improving access to BSL.
Here in the UK, around ten million people are deaf, have hearing loss, or tinnitus, and every May, Deaf Awareness Week promotes and shines a light on the challenges that the deaf community face on a daily basis, as well as raising awareness on how we can all support those with hearing loss. The challenges faced could be mental health-related or feeling excluded from other people or services.
I would like to thank the wonderful Hearing Support Team here in Swindon, as well as the dedicated Ear, Nose and Throat Department and Audiology Teams at Great Western Hospital.
The Hearing Support Team work hard to support deaf children and young people from birth to the age of twenty-five, their families, and educational settings within the borough of Swindon. This includes supporting children and young people with the use of hearing aids or cochlear implants, as well as offering support and advice on hearing effectively for learning for all schools and education settings.
The wonderful team at the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Department at Great Western Hospital support thousands of patients here in Swindon and beyond each year. They work closely with other ENT departments in the region, as well as the excellent Audiology team, who also act as a teaching and training centre for undergraduate and post graduate audiology students from Great Western Hospital. The Audiology team now support me too, as I now have hearing aids.
