It’s not about bad interpreting — It’s about what you were never taught

A new anonymous blog post published on The Limping Chicken has struck a nerve in the Deaf community, and for good reason.

It doesn’t attack interpreters.

It doesn’t generalise or blame.

It simply shares lived experience: situations where interpreters and Communication Support Workers (CSWs) clearly didn’t know what to do, or did the wrong thing entirely.

But the most important line in the article?

“This is not something that is taught or part of their curriculum when they are studying to be an interpreter.”

And that’s the heart of the problem.

The training gap that no one talks about

There’s a myth floating around that if someone passes a BSL Level 6 or completes their interpreter training, they’re automatically ready for professional life in Deaf spaces.

But qualifications are just the start.

What many CSWs and interpreters quickly discover (sometimes too late) is that real-world support goes far beyond knowing how to sign. It involves social awareness, cultural respect, and a deep understanding of the subtle, shifting dynamics in every situation.

When this isn’t taught or modelled during training, well-meaning professionals are left to figure it out on the job.

And Deaf people are left to deal with the consequences.

This isn’t about bad people. It’s about poor preparation.

Let me be clear: most interpreters and CSWs want to do a good job.

But good intentions don’t stop the harm caused by:

• Interpreters chatting with hearing colleagues and sidelining Deaf professionals

• CSWs becoming the voice in the room, rather than the bridge

• Hearing teams directing conversations to the interpreter instead of the Deaf person

• Social invites going to support workers, while Deaf colleagues are left out

• “I’m just the interpreter” being used as a shield for inaction or awkwardness

These aren’t rare cases. These are common issues rooted in a lack of specific, targeted training.

Because BSL classes don’t teach you how to manage boundaries.

Interpreter exams don’t prepare you for workplace politics.

And even seasoned professionals can be unsure of their role when the lines get blurry.

How do we fix it?

We start by acknowledging that this is a systemic issue, not an individual failing.

Training providers, education settings, and agencies need to take responsibility for closing this gap. But so do support workers themselves.

At Deaf Umbrella, we’ve worked alongside Deaf professionals, students, employers, and interpreters for over 25 years. We’ve seen the patterns, and we’ve seen what happens when support workers receive the right training.

That’s why we created our CPD-accredited course, Becoming a Professional CSW, to offer real-world, practical knowledge that goes beyond what you get in formal qualifications.

Because knowing signs is not the same as knowing your role.

If this resonated with you…

We invite you to read another piece recently published on The Limping Chicken, written by Rachel Hubbard (Deaf Umbrella’s CEO): “They Don’t Know What They Don’t Know: Why Colleges Must Train Their CSWs”

It explores how this same issue plays out in education and why Deaf students often receive inconsistent or unhelpful support, despite the best efforts of the CSWs involved.

If you're working as a CSW or interpreter and want to feel more confident and competent in your role, our course might be the missing piece.

But whether you train with us or somewhere else, the key takeaway is this:

It’s not about blaming individuals. It’s about raising the standard.

Because Deaf people deserve better. And support workers deserve the tools to do better.