Call for training to cater for travellers
Early years staff need more training about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) families in order to understand their culture and provide them with more flexible childcare arrangements, delegates at a Pre-School Learning Alliance conference on inclusion heard last week.
Speaking at the conference, 'Changing Attitudes 2009', Arthur Ivatts, an educational consultant at the DCSF, said, 'Awareness of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller culture needs to be raised among early years practitioners to increase the number of these children accessing early years education.'
Mr Ivatts said GRTs are more excluded than any other group and their access to education is poor. He urged practitioners to consider whether their setting welcomed GRTs by, for example, displaying welcome signs in Romany, using familiar cultural symbols and promoting minority languages.
He said numerous factors were to blame for their low uptake of early years provision, including abuse they receive from the wider community, a GRT fear of the educational system, lack of transport, lack of awareness of the availability of childcare, and poor English.
Many GRT families educate their children at home, making them untraceable as parents are not required to register their child.
In January, the DCSF announced an independent review into home education to assess its effectiveness and the welfare of the children.
Baroness Delyth Morgan, children's minister in the House of Lords, said, 'This review will look at whether the right systems are in place that allow local authorities and other agencies to ensure that any concerns about the safety, welfare or education of home educated children are addressed quickly and effectively'.
The review, led by Graham Badman, former managing director for children, families and education at Kent County Council, will be published in May.
