When support isn’t skilled: How undertrained CSWs are holding Deaf students back

Let’s be clear from the start: most colleges are not intentionally failing Deaf students.

But too many are doing exactly that.

Not because they don’t care.

Not because they don’t want inclusion.

But because the people responsible for Deaf support are being asked to do a highly skilled job without being given the training, time, or funding to do it properly.

And Deaf students are paying the price.

Across the UK, Communication Support Workers (CSWs) are being hired with British Sign Language (BSL) Level 1 or Level 2 to support Deaf students in GCSEs, A Levels, vocational courses, and higher education.

On paper, this might look like support.

In reality, it often means:

• Inaccurate or incomplete access to lessons

• Missed explanations, nuance, and subject-specific language

• Constant breakdowns in communication

• Deaf students working twice as hard for half the access

• Quiet disengagement that goes unnoticed until results drop

We recently shared a reel that struck a nerve across the Deaf community and education sector:

The engagement on Facebook and Instagram was huge, and the stories people shared were heartbreaking.

One parent told us their son went from nearly achieving Level 4 GCSE Maths and English to dropping to Level 2 after repeated attempts, simply because consistent, skilled CSW support was not in place at college.

That is not a lack of ability.

That is a lack of access.

A recurring theme in the responses to our recent reel was this:

“The people writing job descriptions and hiring CSWs don’t understand what BSL actually is.”

British Sign Language is a full language, with its own grammar, structure, and cultural context.

Knowing some signs is not the same as being able to follow complex academic content, adapt language for different subjects, support note-taking, clarification, and classroom interaction, or understand Deaf culture, boundaries, and ethical practice.

Would we expect someone with basic French to support a student studying GCSE History in French?

Of course not.

Yet Deaf students are routinely expected to succeed with support workers who are still learning the language themselves.

CSWs are being set up to fail too

This is not just a student issue. It’s a workforce issue.

Many CSWs told us:

• They were thrown into classrooms with no guidance

• They were “left and forgotten about” once hired

• There was little or no CPD available

• Training was self-funded, despite low pay

• Their role was misunderstood by colleges and HR teams

Being a CSW is not just “being good at signing”.

It is a professional role with ethical responsibility, impact on learning outcomes, and long-term consequences for Deaf students’ futures.

Without training, even well-intentioned support becomes inconsistent at best, harmful at worst.

We hear this argument a lot:

“Colleges can’t afford qualified professionals.”

But hiring underqualified support is not a saving.

It is wasted money if the student cannot access learning properly.

Poor support leads to:

• Repeated GCSE attempts

• Drop-outs

• Delayed progression

• Mental health impact

• Long-term underachievement

All of which cost the system far more in the long run.

If institutions can fund buildings, inspections, and performance frameworks, they can fund effective Deaf support.

This is not optional. It is a matter of equality and educational duty.

Training is the missing piece

One of the most important comments we received asked a fair question:

“What training actually exists for CSWs?”

The honest answer is:

very little that is structured, accessible, and rooted in real-world practice.

That gap is exactly why Becoming a Professional CSW course was created.

Not as a tick-box qualification.

Not as a replacement for BSL learning.

But as a practical, CPD-accredited course that covers what CSWs are actually facing in classrooms every day.

It focuses on:

• Professional boundaries and role clarity

• Supporting learning, not replacing teachers

• Ethical practice and Deaf-led perspectives

• Communication strategies that protect students’ access

• Confidence, decision-making, and accountability

It exists because the current system leaves too many people guessing. Take a look here: https://deafumbrella.mykajabi.com/professional-csw

This is a government and leadership issue

Deaf students’ outcomes should not depend on:

• Which CSW happens to be available

• Whether someone self-funded training

• Whether a college understands Deaf education

This requires:

• Clear national standards for CSW roles

• Proper funding for training and CPD

• Deaf awareness at leadership and HR level

• Recognition that Deaf education is specialist, not generic

Colleges should not expect individuals to carry this burden alone.

They should be paying for training, building it into professional development, and treating Deaf support as the skilled provision it is.

Deaf students deserve better than good intentions

Every comment, every story, every shared experience points to the same conclusion:

Deaf students are not falling behind because they lack ability.

They are falling behind because the system keeps underestimating what proper support actually requires.

If we want Deaf students to succeed, progress, and thrive, then support must be:

• Skilled

• Consistent

• Properly funded

• Professionally respected

Raising the standard is not about blame.

It’s about responsibility.

And it’s long overdue.