When can you get an interpreter?
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In the context of the interpreter services for persons with disabilities, interpreting means conveying a message in sign language or by another method that helps make communication clearer. Interpretation always involves at least three parties. One of them is the interpreter. The interpreter conveys messages between the other parties.
Interpretation is used in situations that involve interaction with another person and where, for example, a person with a hearing impairment needs help with communicating even if they use a hearing device or have a cochlear implant.
You can use the interpreter services in situations that involve interpreting
- sign language, speech clarified by signs or spoken language
- a short message or a piece of text, such as a form.
You can book an interpreter as soon as Kela has granted you the right to do so. How to apply for the right to use the interpreter services.
- The interpreter can either come to where you are or interpret remotely.
- The goal is for the interpreter to live as close as possible to your municipality of residence (kotikunta) or the place where you need an interpreter.
- You can use an interpreter list if you want to. The interpreter list is a list of interpreters to whom your bookings are primarily forwarded. If you do not want to use an interpreter list, you will be assigned a suitable interpreter who lives near the place where you need an interpreter. Read more about the interpreter list.
- Interpreter services can be provided for any language if an interpreter with the required language skills is available. This means that the interpreter can use, for example, Russian sign language or do speech-to-text interpretation in English to help you communicate. Here speech-to-text interpretation means that the interpreter will write down in English what the hearing person says in English.
When can you book an interpreter?
You can book an interpreter, for example,
- for work-related situations
- for your studies after you have completed comprehensive school (peruskoulu)
- for foreign travel
- when you need help with using a service (such as a visit to a bank, a shop or a hairdresser)
- for healthcare appointments (such as a doctor’s appointment, physiotherapy or rehabilitation)
- for leisure activities (such as parties, hobbies, museums, theatre performances or camps)
- to help interpret short pieces of text (such as a form or a display board)
- for interpreting podcasts, movies or visual or audio broadcasts.*
You can book an interpreter through the interpreter services for persons with disabilities when you need to have a podcast, a movie or a visual or audio broadcast interpreted for you. An interpreter can usually only interpret a recording for you if the recording is part of an interaction. This can mean, for example, a lesson where you watch a video.
Ensuring the accessibility of recordings is primarily the responsibility of, for example, the educational institution, the employer or the event organiser.
For now, however, an interpreter can interpret a recording for you also in situations where you are not interacting with another person. You can book an interpreter if you need one because of your disability and if the recording is not accessible to you without the help of an interpreter.
This practice is based on decisions made by the National Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal and applies until further notice.
Read more about the interpreting of recordings (in Finnish and Swedish only).
You can use remote interpretation in most situations. More information about remote interpreting.
Interpreter services for work-related situations
When you book an interpreter, tell us if you want to book an interpreter for a work-related situation. Tell us about your work duties and whether the interpreter needs to have any special knowledge or skills.
We will do our best to make sure that we assign the same interpreters you have used previously to help you in work-related situations. We monitor how well the interpreters are able to help you. We can suggest changes if necessary, such as new interpreters for your interpreter list.
If you want to discuss your interpreting needs in work-related situations, you can book an appointment for this purpose with the Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled. You may want to book a discussion for example if you start at a new job or if you have had problems with the interpreter services. The Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled can also suggest that you have a discussion with them. Your employer may participate in the discussion.
Contact the Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled.
You can ask for a specific interpreter in the following situations:
- important family occasions, such as weddings, confirmations, graduations, funerals, christenings or naming ceremonies
- childbirth
- foreign travel.
Use our online form to book an interpreter (available in Finnish and Swedish).
If you are or your partner is going to give birth, we can make a list of on-call interpreters for when your child will be born.
The list of on-call interpreters works like this:
- The interpreters are on call for 4 weeks: 2 weeks before your estimated due date and 2 weeks after.
- The interpreter who is on call when childbirth begins will join you in the maternity ward.
- You can ask for specific interpreters to be added to the list or Kela can pick suitable interpreters for you.
If you want to make a list of on-call interpreters, please contact the Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled and tell them
- who the list is for
- the names of the interpreters you would like to have on the list
- the estimated due date
- the address of the maternity hospital.
If childbirth begins when the Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled is open, contact the Centre and ask them to send an interpreter. We will always do our best to send an interpreter who is on your on-call list. If the Centre is closed, please contact the interpreter who is on call directly.
Contact the Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled to get a list of on-call interpreters.
In there is an emergency, you can contact the interpreter or the interpreting service provider directly also when the Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled is open. See service providers in your area.
Remote interpretation is another option that you can use in emergencies. More information about remote interpreting.
When are the interpreter services not available?
You cannot use the interpreter services, for example,
- to replace other services, such as personal assistance or transport
- interpretation between two sign languages, such as Finnish sign language and Finnish-Swedish sign language
- interpretation between two spoken languages, such as spoken Finnish and spoken English
- speech-to-text interpretation between two spoken languages, such as interpretation from spoken Finnish to written English
- interpretation in foreign sign languages
- interpretation of audiobooks
- translation of books or other similar works
- teaching of different communication methods.
The wellbeing services counties arrange education in sign language and other communication methods. Contact your municipality of residence (kotikunta) for more information.
Do you still have questions?
Contact the Centre for Interpreting Services for the Disabled