Deaf in Sweden

Interpreting services

In 1994 a new law of everyday interpreting was passed. The law signifies that the county councils are obliged to organize, finance and supply interpreting services. The concept of everyday interpreting also includes interpreter during time off and recreation, in club life and working life. The government has also decided upon a substantial increase in the training of interpreters.

The shortage of interpreters is still great despite of the efforts that have been made. There is often lack of interpreters in the adult education and without interpreter we cannot actively partake of the social life and are therefore put outside of the constitutional freedom of speech. The interpreter issue is a question of democracy.

One of the causes of the shortage of interpreters is the lack of sign language interpreting teachers and sign language teachers.