Engagement and Consultation with children and young people

The 2011 Census was the first to include ‘Gypsy or Irish Traveller’ as a distinct ethnic group. In Somerset, 733 people placed themselves in this category, just over 0.1% of the whole population. The group is much younger than the Somerset population overall; almost half are aged under 25.

For a 'population pyramid' and more details of this ethnic group in Somerset, including inequalities faced by Gypsies and Travellers, please go to the Equality and Diversity homepage.

In the latest School Census, there were 259 children identified as being Roma, Roma Gypsy or Traveller Irish heritage (see table below)

 Source: School Census Jan 2013/Capita ONE

Gypsy and Traveller underperformance in schools may be due to a combination of complex factors, including financial deprivation, low levels of parental literacy and aspirations for their children’s academic achievement, poor attendance and bullying.

Issues facing young Gypsies and Travellers were discussed in a focus group which informed the 2010 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA). The session was facilitated by Sarah Cemlyn with extensive involvement from the Children's Society Children's Participation Project, and took place in a community venue in Taunton. Taking part were four Gypsy Roma siblings aged 10-13 and eight 'New' Travellers aged between 13 and 20.

Young people had strong feelings about culture and lifestyle, school and accommodation. They showed that they wanted to be treated like other young people and not have assumptions made about them because of who they were.

In particular:-

• Discrimination and bullying:-

  Most of those asked had experienced racism. When asked what they did not like about their school, bullying and racism was a recurrent theme for many. Bullying and racism were not just experienced from other children but also from adults, including those in authority such as teachers, and members of the public, such as a shopkeeper and a school bus driver, clearly identifying different treatment from different individuals. 

  Persistent experiences of discrimination and the resultant fear of prejudice and hostility could present significant barriers to use of services, as well as development of young children. However in a number of examples in the focus group, it was conveyed how important a sympathetic teacher could be in providing support.

• Isolation and loss of networks:- 

  The young people also talked about the disadvantages of living on different kinds of sites. One conversation referred to the sites being remote, far from towns and schools, sometimes several miles from a bus stop, and not having their own transport. However, others liked the security of being a family or community sheltered from the rest of the world.

• Accommodation and facilities:-

  In terms of physical disadvantages, one young Gypsy family referred to having no gas, electricity or water on their site, having to carry all their water and go to relatives for personal washing. The impact of reduced amenities on some self-provided sites is to a considerable extent dependent on the season and also the weather, being greatly exacerbated in the winter months.

• Education:-

  Almost all the young people currently attended either school or college, depending on their age. One or two young people had started school late, and one had received home schooling when away from school. A few felt demotivated when their work had not been marked whilst there was praise for individual teaches and for the Somerset Traveller Education Service. As mentioned above, bullying and discrimination was an ongoing problem.

• Future Aspirations:-

  Training or further or higher education was identified by most of the young people as necessary to their plans. Some also acknowledged the need for advice, and one pointed to the importance of contacts when setting up in business. 

  Some young people clearly identified that they wanted to live on a stable site, with their family and /or with their friends. The obstacles that were referred to throughout the interviews included the current lack of access to basic facilities, the threat of being moved on, the prejudice they encountered, and the impact on policies and practice towards Gypsies and Travellers.

  There was a clear message from young people that lack of accommodation and facilities acts as a barrier to career and educational attainment.

For more details, please read the 2010 GTAA report. The young people's section is in Chapter 9, with verbatim comments included in Appendix E.

For details of the Somerset Traveller Education Service, please go to this website