The state of communication support at the Scottish Parliament

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The Scottish Parliament (SP) must extend the communication supports its uses to include more people in Scotland with communication support needs (CSN).

This is the overall recommendation of the Scottish Parliament Communication Access Audit (2007) published in May 2007.

The audit - coordinated by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) and the RCSLT in Scotland - involved a 'secret shopper' visit to the Parliament in March 2007 by people with CSN and, were required, their carers and support staff.

It also included a postal survey assessment of a range of SP information leaflets, DVDs, audiotapes and online resources by individuals and groups with a range of CSN.

The RCSLT also audited MSPs' local offices to establish what they and their staff were already doing to meet people's CSN locally and to find out what help they needed to make their services more responsive to constituents with CSN.

Although the report recognises the 'very positive' action taken on communication access to date commitment, it recommends that the SPCB develop the range of communication supports the SP uses to include a wider range of people with CSN.

Public-facing staff must make the use of communication supports required by visitors to aid understanding and support expression part of their routine and the SPCB should recognise and reward good current and developing communication support practice.

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