“Come to Us in a Peaceful Way” Improving Experiences of Roma Families with Children’s Services in England
Project Dates
2022 - 2024
Funder
FASS Research Catalyst Grant, Lancaster University; Tudor Trust; Anglia Ruskin University
Project Summary
This report presents the outcomes of multi-method research that was conducted in 2023, the culmination of a collaborative effort involving universities, civil society organisations, social care practitioners, and legal professionals. The focus of our research, and this report, on Roma migrants as opposed to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, is intentional. The term ‘Gypsy Roma Travellers’ (GRT) is valuable for fostering solidarity and highlighting the pervasive scale of marginalisation faced by the GRT communities. However, we acknowledge that it tends to obscure the differences between the groups and the specific circumstances and experiences of Roma migrants. By concentrating our efforts on this subgroup, we aim to bring attention to their unique challenges with children’s services and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the issues at hand. The main aim of our research was to:
• examine available data regarding involvement of Roma families with children’s services,
• identify the challenges and barriers and barriers that Roma families face when interacting with children’s services, and
• make recommendations to address those challenges and barriers. In particular, the research set out to answer the following questions:
• What factors contribute to Roma families’ involvement with children’s services?
• What obstacles do Roma families face when interacting with children’s services?
• What factors enable Roma families to interact with children’s services effectively?
We have tried to make this report accessible, so that it is read widely. We have included a glossary to explain what we mean by the terms we use in this report. We anticipate that our study will spark a conversation about the crucial support needed for vulnerable migrants and inspire increased efforts in data collection and the development of vital resources for social workers, legal practitioners, and community advocates.
Publications
Boyce M, Coker S, Felja D, Greenfields M, Kostka J and Radley C (2024) Come to us in a peaceful way: improving experiences of Roma families with children's services in England, Anglia Ruskin University/Lancaster University/Law for Life. Available here.
Research Team
Dr Melanie Boyce, Anglia Ruskin University
Sophie Coker, PhD Student, Anglia Ruskin University
Dragica Felja, Law for Life
Professor Margaret Greenfields, Anglia Ruskin University
Dr Joanna Kostka, Lancaster University
Dr Chantal Radley, Anglia Ruskin University
Contact
For further information, contact Joanna Kostka (j.kostka@lancaster.ac.uk)
