Scottish Council on Deafness

Central Chambers
Suite 62
93 Hope Street
Glasgow
G2 6LD

Tel (voice): 0141 248 2474
Tel (text): 0141 248 2477
Fax: 0141 248 2479
Web: www.scod.org.uk
Best time to telephone: 10am - 4pm, Monday - Friday.

The Scottish Council on Deafness (SCoD) represents 90 organisations working with and on behalf of deaf sign language users, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people.

SCoD membership provides an effective working partnership between the voluntary sector, Social Work and Education Departments, NHS Trusts, Health Boards and the government.

They aim to:

• Enable deaf and deafblind people to contribute in shaping the policies which affect their lives.
• Work to challenge negative attitudes and to combat discriminatory practice.
• Raise public awareness of issues affecting deaf and deafblind people and their views and experience.
• Campaign for equal opportunities.
• Improve the social inclusion of deaf and deafblind people.
• Support the recognition of British Sign Language.
• Support the development of relevant services.
• Provide forums where organisations and individuals discuss areas of concern such as community care, health and deaf education.
• Provide information and advice.
• Provide links with:
  • the Scottish Parliament
  • the Scottish Government
  • local authorities
  • the media and policy decision making bodies.
• Provide consultation events in partnership with organisations like the DTI, the Scottish Government and the NHS.
• Campaign for better services (eg mental health, audiology, subtitling).
• Provide a national directory online.
• Provide monthly SCoD Bulletins.
• Provide regular parliamentary questions updates.
• Publish the SCoD newsletter to 7000 individuals free of charge.
• Provide a website with sign language video clips.
• Provide secretarial support to the Cross Party Group on Deafness.
• Provide training and information days.