Inclusion - Gypsies Travellers

Please also refer to Language and Cultural Support.

The Cultural Diversity Service delivers Barnsley's Ethnic Minority Achievement and Traveller Education Services as a single, combined service. The Service contributes to the ability of Education and Children's Services to respond to the changing profile of needs of minority ethnic gypsy and traveller children and young people across the Borough.

Additionally, the work of the Cultural Diversity Team supports Education and Children's Service colleagues, schools and early years settings in the fulfillment of their duty to promote race equality for all groups of minority ethnic, gypsy and traveller children and young people, to narrow attainment gaps, raise achievement, secure improved access to education and ensure equality of outcomes, preventing and addressing racism and discrimination.

The service has developed and delivers a progressive CPD and Inset Programme to support schools and early years settings in becoming increasingly effective practitioners in raising minority ethnic, gypsy and traveller pupils' achievement.  This has been adapted from the National Strategy Pilots and Programmes for ethnic minority, EAL and traveller achievement, and is combined with an emerging consultant framework of support.  The service continues to operate an open referral policy.  This enables us to provide a range of support and interventions for particularly vulnerable children and their parents.

Service delivery includes addressing the needs of those gypsy and traveller children and young people who are not currently accessing mainstream education, such as those who are missing from education, those who are educated other than at school, and children on temporary encampments, including showmen (fairground) and circus travellers, distance learning, education and guidance materials for children who are travelling, and inclusion of the children of migrant workers or asylum seekers who are European Roma.  The cost of transport to school is provided for those children and young people who may otherwise be unable to attend school (or early years settings). Young people aged 13-19 can access a Youth Worker come Personal Adviser for support in accessing education, employment or training opportunites, and/or with any personal matters that are concerning them.  In September 2006 we will be reinstating early years provision on the Local Authority traveller site now that a new Community Learning Centre is available for use. 

The Cultural Diversity team provides information, advice, guidance, and support to children, families, schools, early years settings and other learning provisions, and the range of Education and Children's Services, providers and agencies across the Borough, and has established networks of collaborative support with both statutory and community sector partners.

Eligibility

The service is available to:

• early years settings
• schools (primary and secondary) and other learning provisions
• education and Children's Service colleagues and providers
• community groups
• children and young people
• parents and carers
• individuals
• other services and agencies.

Procedure

Referrals:  the service operates an open referral policy, and takes referrals and requests for information, advice and guidance from schools, early years settings, parents, community (and community support) groups, and a range of services and providers.  Please phone or fax the service to make a referral or request for support.

Casework Support:  this is responsive and flexible, and is determined by the degree of vulnerability (or risks of becoming so) that may apply for particular individual children, their parents and carers.  It enables a range of support and interventions for particularly vulnerable children and young people to be implemented.

CPD and Inset: The service provides a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Inset Programme to support schools' improvement.  This is available to the range of practitioners working in schools and a range of learning provisions across the Foundation Stage, and Key Stages 1 to 4.  Please contact the service if you would like a copy of the CPD Programme.

Race Equality and Cultural Diversity Network Group: these termly twilight meetings are for school based colleagues, early years practitioners and leaders.  Dates are listed in the CPD and Inset Programme for 2006-2007.

Charges/Fees

There is likely to be a charge for attending training courses and inset, as determined within Learning Services.

Opening times/locations

Cultural Diversity
Inclusion Services
Worsbrough Common Primary School   
Bruce Avenue
BARNSLEY
S70 4EB

8.45am -5.00 pm
(please note that the full service is only available during term-time.  A reduced service is available during school holidays)

Tel: 01226 296500

Legislation

Legislation relevant to Education and Children's Services, including equal opportunities, race equality and welfare, and human rights etc.

Response Times/Next Steps

Response times are likely to vary depending on the current level of demands on the service, service capacity and priority of need. It is anticipated that all referrals and requests will be responded to at the earliest opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions

A gypsy traveller family has requested places at school for their children even though they are camped on the roadside and may not be here long.  Do I have to admit them?
Yes, they should be admitted on the same basis as any other children.  Local Education Authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that education is available for all children of compulsory school age in their area.  This duty applies to children whether they are residing permanently or temporarily in the area and therefore includes gypsy traveller children.

We have a family of traveller children attending our school.  What is the schools responsibility for the attainment and progress of pupils on roll who spend periods of time travelling?
Traveller pupils have the same entitlement as all other pupils on roll to a curriculum which is appropriate to their age, ability and aptitude and to have their individual needs met.  Accurate assessment is vital to enable the setting of challenging targets and to inform planning.  As with all pupils, there should be high expectations for rates of progress.

Schools should encourage parents to give notice of their intention to travel so that differentiated distance learning materials can be provided.  Parents should also be encouraged and reminded to keep the school informed of any changes to their travelling plans and expected date of return.

We have recently taken on to the school roll some traveller pupils.  What should I know about traveller culture in order to meet their needs more effectively?
You are right to acknowledge that travellers have a culture that differs from the mainstream and that it is necessary for staff to gain an understanding of how they can best support the children to reach their potential in school.

Please refer to the services CPD and Inset Programme for information about what training is available, and contact the Cultural Diversity Service for further advice and guidance, and the opportunity to discuss your schools training needs in more detail.

We have pupils in school whose family says they are travellers, but they live in a house.  How can they still be travellers?
Being a traveller is about self-ascription and cultural identity more than a nomadic lifestyle  which is just one aspect of the culture.  If this family has traveller heritage, and describe themselves as travellers, then they are.  Schools should be aware that travellers could go travelling at short notice at any time  even those living in houses.

We had a child on the school roll for a few months but they seem to have left the area as we have not heard from them for a considerable time.  Can we take them off roll?
A report should be made to the Education Welfare Service within five days if the whereabouts of any child is unknown.

Schools can delete the names of traveller pupils who are not dual registered (i.e. known to be attending another school whilst travelling) from the school roll after four weeks continuous absence.  This is under the same regulations that apply to all pupils.  However, the deletion can only be made after both the school and the Cultural Diversity Service have made all reasonable enquiry to locate the pupil.  The DfES advises that it is not good practice to delete traveller pupils from the school roll who are known to be travelling.

How do we record absences of gypsy traveller children?
In exactly the same way as for any other child with the exception of instances where it is known that the family is travelling away from the area.  In that case the mark T or other chosen letter is put in the register and the absence is recorded and authorised.

What do we do if the poor attendance of a traveller child is causing concern?
The school's Education Welfare Officer should be involved in the first instance and procedures followed as for any child, with due regard for the need for sensitivity.  However the Cultural Diversity Service has a specialist Education Welfare Officer who will assist the school in liaising with the family to improve attendance rates, as it may be that the family are already known to the service team.