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Traveller Education Service - About Travellers

This information may help answer some questions when traveller families are part of your community

Types of travelling communities:

United Kingdom Traveller trades (new tradition):

Fairground and Circus Life:

Lifestyle:

Moving form place to place (although some are settled on sites or in housing)
Strong impression they are not wanted by: Police, legislation, television, local community
No sense of belonging
Limited means of finding out about available agencies: health visitors, dentists
Literacy may be a problem
Water supply problems
Daily routines often not regulated by the clock
Boys of 11 or 12 begin working with adult males
Girls of 11 or 12 take responsibility for siblings and cleaning tasks
Either/ both maternal and paternal surnames are used
Children sometimes has baptismal name and family name
Dates of birth and birth certificates are not significant to them
Weddings and funerals are occasions for large family gatherings

School life:

Parents may not be confident readers and therefore checklists, booklets and letters cannot be used for reference
School language is confusing, what is: break? tuck? look up?
Can't assume they know school customs: how to attract the teachers' attention, how to answer the register, which doors to use, when talking is allowed
Children need to adapt to many schools with different routines
Older children will want to check on younger siblings
Very young children may not be used to access to a toilet
Not all children will know what language is acceptable
There may not be an emergency contact number or doctor
Vehicles are not always available to get children to school
Uniform; flexible approaches are helpful

Did you know...

30-40% of the traveller community have no legal place to site their caravans.
Nomadism is part of a traveller culture.
Parents are extremely worried about their children outside traveller community, e.g. at school, school trips.
If literacy is a problem several meetings with parents are needed to ensure all necessary information is understood.
Time is often measured differently, that is, by chores to be done or vehicles available rather than by the clock.
Travelling patterns may need to be taken into account when education psychologist, speech and language therapy etc. are required.
LEA duty extends to all children residing in the area, either permanently or temporarily.

               - appropriate education must be made available
               - special needs must be identified and met
               - parents have the right to express school preference
Parents are obliged to ensure children receive:

- a broad and balanced education
Lack of knowledge breeds intolerance and fosters prejudice and racial hatred.