As a membership organisation, we fully support the need for an NRCPD ‘Trainee Lipspeaker’ Category.

Groups such as ‘Lipspeakers In the North East’ (LINE) continue to work, despite either having no qualification and/or not being registered. There is currently no safeguarding of deaf people when Lipspeakers gain valuable experience working on live assignments during their training. Many of the reasons for having a TSLI category, apply to the need of a Trainee Lipspeaker category.

The most recent working group meeting was on 16th July 2024. ALAS feel that postponing the next working group meeting to 2025 is unreasonable in such an important matter.

We would like NRCPD to bring this meeting forward and to ensure that all Lipspeakers are consulted.

The idea of a Trainee Lipspeaker category is to ensure safety and accountability, alike our TSLI peers. We would hope to see trainee lipspeakers earn the badge, after a lipspeaking mock assessment has been passed. Then, the badge worn through all assignments of their training. There is currently no way to know if someone is/isn’t a Trainee Lipspeaker.

The ALAS Committee