Interpreting with parent
Dilemma:
An interpreter’s father is deaf, and has many serious health issues. Increasingly his hospital appointments are cancelled because at the last minute the booked interpreter doesn’t show, or it turns out they weren't booked.
The child now usually goes with their father, sometimes to support him, but often as the booked interpreter. The child is qualified and registered with both the professional association (ASLI) and registering body (IRP).
Where possible their father would prefer the child to be his interpreter, as they are able to provide him with a professional service suited to his needs, and can be counted on to turn up.
The dilemmas are these:
A number of services, understandably, won’t book the child to interpret with the fathers, as they are family. However, some interpreting agencies knowing the issues will book the child. Is this ok? What about the ASLI and IRP codes that the child has agreed to follow?
If the child is honest and tells the hearing person that they are related, the whole dynamic often changes, and in many cases the hearing person will start asking the child questions about their dad, and ask the child to explain things to the father after the assignment rather than during.
If no interpreter turns up, the child will take on the role, unpaid. Should the statutory services be allowed to 'get away with this'? If interpreting unpaid, does that give the child greater freedom in how they behave, for example making their own interjections?
Professional and Customer perspectives:
Deaf father – "Continually turning up to hospitals, to be cancelled when I get there, is heart breaking. If my child does it, they turn up, in good time to prepare. My child is also an excellent interpreter, and takes the time to make sure that I understand everything. Whilst there are other interpreters who are as good, interpreters often turn up without time to prepare with me before the appointment, and often I will be given a 'new' or student interpreter, where I don’t understand as much with them."