National Roma Network 2015-2017 - Developments, learning and action - Migration Yorkshire
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National Roma Network 2015-2017 Developments, learning and action
Acknowledgements
This report was written by Ewa Jamroz, Policy, Data and Development Officer at
Migration Yorkshire, in 2018.
Migration Yorkshire is a local authority-led regional migration partnership. We work with
national government, local government, and others to ensure that Yorkshire and Humber
can deal with, and benefit from, migration. We work with agencies across the statutory,
voluntary, community and private sectors to help support the delivery of high quality
services to migrants in a way that benefits everyone living in local communities.
Migration Yorkshire would like to thank everyone who was involved for their contributions
to the National Roma Network (NRN) project and the report. In particular we would like to
acknowledge the following people:
NRN co-chairs: Dave Brown, Migration Yorkshire and Roma co-chairs Liviu Iulian
Dinu and Denisa Gannon
Other members of the NRN steering group: Professor Phil Brown, the University of
Salford; Colin Havard, Sheffield City Council; and, Andy Shallice, Roma Support
Group
Our team at Migration Yorkshire who helped us to deliver the project, in particular:
Sarah Botterill, Nicola Baylis, Katie Deighton, Bill Dennis, Nahida Khan and Dr Pip
Tyler
Other Roma individuals who took an active role in the NRN: Alexandra Bahor,
Mihai Calin Bica, Michal Bily, Olga Fuseini, Terezia Rostas and Petr Torak.
2Contents
Foreword by Kate Green MP 5
Executive summary 7
Introduction to Roma migration to the UK 9
Priority policy and practice issues 11
National Roma Network 15
1. Education
2. Employment and skills
3. Police and criminal justice
4. Brexit
5. Housing and environment
6. Health
Cross-cutting themes 30
1. Data on migrant Roma
2. Cultural awareness and diversity of the migrant Roma population
3. Complexity of the Roma situation
Conclusion 35
Recommendations – A way forward 37
Bibliography 38
Members of National Roma Network 47
34
Foreword by Kate Green MP
The UK has a long history of Roma and decision makers to ensure services
migration. Two and expertise exist that meets the needs
distinct waves took of Roma communities.
place in recent
history: the first In some areas, however, some progress
after the collapse of has been made. Education is one area
the Soviet Union, where there is slightly better data, due to
and the second as the school census – a statutory census
a result of the expansion of EU. These that takes place during the autumn,
different periods of migratory behaviour spring, and summer terms. While the
took place in very different contexts, but data that does exist shows high exclusion
the obstacles all Roma communities in rates and lower outcomes, starting right
the UK face suffer from a similar root from early years, this has at least meant
problem of lack of data. that advocacy organisations can point to
official government data to map key
Despite claims to the contrary, the issues and barriers, to develop and press
government has consistently overlooked for solutions, and to call for the spread of
the Roma community. Regardless of good practice.
some positive noises by Ministers, the
government’s Race Disparity Audit But even in education, problems exist in
simply revealed the dearth of information a fragmented system: the growth in
collected or accessible to government academies and free schools has made it
departments on the Roma population in difficult for pressure for improvements to
this country. This stretches from be applied by local education authorities.
uncertainty over basic information such Meanwhile, the lack of ring fenced
as how many Roma migrants there are in funding, and of staff with relevant
the UK, to outcomes in health, housing, expertise and knowledge to provide
employment amongst many other areas. effective support, shows that while data
Yet understanding the service is important to understand the problems,
deficiencies which we know exist is the appropriate resources and political
important, not only to help improve the will are vital to address them.
experience of the individuals who use Brexit is another pressure on minority
them, but also to contribute to a wider groups, including migrant Roma. The
integration strategy. resources necessary to tackle the
Instead, the lack of knowledge inequalities Roma experience will be
contributes to a lack of policy interest, even harder to come by as groups and
and prevents evidence based arguments schemes supporting marginalised
for new rights and access from being communities lose funding they have been
heard. Without suitable data it is difficult receiving from the EU through the
to put pressure on government ministers European Social Fund. It is vital that the
5British government commit to, at the very These are just some of the issues faced
least, replacing this funding. But the most in addressing the extreme disadvantage
pressing issue is the creation of the new and exclusion experienced among Roma
settled status after Brexit. The communities in this country. We can’t be
government has shown little interest in satisfied either with the poor outcomes
the difficulties marginalised groups may that they too often experience, or with a
face in obtaining the information and lack of information to address them.
evidence needed to apply for settled Good data collection, including in the
status. As a result, some will simply stay next census, tailor made policy, and
without it, unrecorded, under the radar, engaging with the Roma community are
and even more vulnerable. Indeed, there all vitally needed. Politicians, alongside
are already reports of Roma who have advocacy groups, must now speak out.
arrived here lawfully facing deportation
when found homeless or unable to
supply documents. There’s an urgent
need for a communication programme Kate Green MP, co-chair of the
via Roma groups to ensure that clear APPG for Gypsies, Travellers and
information is passed on about
Roma, and the APPG on
documentation requirements, application
procedures that need to be followed, and Migration
sources of independent advice.
6Executive summary
Roma migrants have been arriving and Roma activists, discuss current issues
settling in the UK for over 10 years in and agree the way forward.
search of a better life. Their experiences
of poverty and discrimination in their The difficulties and barriers recognised in
countries of origin often mean that they the early years of Roma migration by
have faced additional challenges while practitioners and support organisations
accessing services in the UK, and have do not seem to be diminishing. The lack
been perceived as having complex needs of national leadership and policy focus on
by services. Those needs are gradually the issue has led to challenges for Roma
being recognised at local levels and migrants and their ability to integrate in
support measures are being put in place the UK, but also for the local
in many areas across the country, but communities to which they are migrating.
there is still work to be done to join-up Brexit has provided a further opportunity
those measures and create for the government to engage with Roma
comprehensive long-term solutions. issues in the context of migration and
Despite local actions, wider progress is integration. If the UK is to avoid the
more challenging without a specific and entrenched exclusion of Roma
coherent approach from central experienced in a number of areas across
government to strategic and practical Europe, there needs to be greater
policy solutions. recognition that Roma migrants are a
distinct group with additional
The National Roma Network was set up vulnerabilities, and a holistic framework is
to support local authorities, services and required to facilitate their integration and
practitioners to respond to Roma encourage inclusion in society.
migration. It provides a platform for them
to engage with voluntary organisations
and emerging
78
Introduction to Roma migration to the UK
Roma migration to the UK has been numbers increased and the concentration
happening since at least the 1950s. of Roma in particular areas. Reports
Numbers rose in the 1990s and early found that Roma were moving to a single
2000s, due to Roma individuals seeking UK location in ‘significant numbers either
asylum from persecution experienced in at the same time or over a period of time’
Central and Eastern Europe (Poole and (Brown et al, 2013). Therefore some
Adamson, 2008). However, a significant neighbourhoods (such as Page Hall in
increase was noted after the countries Sheffield, Eastwood in Rotherham or
with the greatest number of Roma, such Govanhill in Glasgow) experienced quite
as Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, rapid change (Clark, 2014). Yet with no
Hungary and Romania joined the requirements for EU migrants, including
European Union (EU) in 2004 and 2007. Roma, to register their presence in the
UK, there was no means to monitor the
The Roma migration pattern has been numbers and challenge negative press
largely described as ‘chain migration’ coverage (Sheldrick, 2013; Jackson,
(Horton and Grayson, 2008). Roma 2016).
families from specific countries, or even
cities and villages, have been settling in Roma have been arriving in the UK
particular areas of the UK, where wider predominantly to seek work and a better
family networks were already present. life for their children (Brown et al, 2016),
The majority of locations where Roma as EU nationals exercising their treaty
migrants initially arrived (such as rights of free movement. However, due to
Glasgow, Sheffield, London, Rotherham, continuing persecution and discrimination
Manchester or Peterborough) became in their home countries, the reasons for
settlement areas, as they were known to their migration are in practice more
Roma who were dispersed to those cities complex, placed somewhere ‘between
as asylum seekers. This nation-wide forced and voluntary’ (Craig, 2011). As
settlement pattern has continued, and in the majority come from marginalised and
many localities there is a dominant excluded communities, within which they
nationality among Roma migrants. In had little or no access to public services
London, for example, the Roma (FRA, 2016), arguably their needs are
population are particularly of Polish and more comparable to those of asylum
Czech origin, in Sheffield the majority are seekers and refugees than economic
from Slovakia (Sheffield City Council, migrants (Poole and Adamson, 2008).
2015), while in Manchester (University of
Manchester, 2018) and Luton (Luton Due to the systematic state
Roma Trust, 2018) Roma residents are discrimination in their countries of origin,
predominantly of Romanian origin. Roma have rarely sought contact with the
authorities in the UK. As a result, many
Other important features of Roma local councils and statutory services were
migration include the pace at which unaware of Roma migrants present in
9their areas (Brown et at, 2013), let alone largely have not received support that is
the issues they were facing such as comparable to UK nationals.
exploitation related to work and housing,
difficulties in accessing health and The disadvantages Roma experience in
benefits or securing school places. the UK have increasingly impacted on
the local communities in which they have
Income poverty was recognised to be a settled, creating tensions and fuelling
linking feature and a central aspect of anti-migrant sentiments (Casey, 2016).
Roma exclusion (Brown et al, 2015). Yet
the restrictions imposed by the Workers This feeling of insecurity among the
Registration Scheme on nationals of Roma community was further
Accession 8 (A8) countries, the stricter exacerbated during the EU referendum
Accession Worker Authorisation Card for campaign and subsequent vote in June
Accession 2 (A2) nationals, and further 2016, which brought about a surge in
alterations to social security and housing hate crime (Ansell, 2016) and uncertainty
benefits from 2014 (Home Office, 2014) in relation to their future in the UK (NRN,
have meant that Roma migrants in need 2017).
10Priority policy and practice issues
The fast pace of migration from the new unaware of Roma culture and historical
EU states and difficulties engaging with experiences, the reasons for their
this new, very diverse group are the main migration to the UK and the implications
issues reported by local authorities of their immigration status, and found the
(European Dialogue, 2009). At first, complexity of their needs very
Roma were seen as migrants from challenging (Brown et al, 2013).
Central and Eastern Europe as they were
identified by services by their nationality - Initially, in many areas newly arrived
– Slovak, Czech, Polish or Romanian – Roma migrants were supported through
for instance when applying for a National the Migration Impact Fund (MIF), which
Insurance Number. Then they were was available between 2009 and 2010
identified as of Roma ethnicity - often by via local authorities from central
educational services who were, in many government. In Yorkshire and the
localities, one of the first services to Humber, for example, where many local
engage with Roma communities on the authorities saw significant increases in
ground (Equality, 2011). At this stage Roma migrants, the funds were used to
Roma would be supported through employ additional community support
existing Traveller Education Services and advocacy officers to address the
(TES) or ethnic minority achievement social exclusion these communities were
services. facing (Migration Yorkshire, 2010).
However, MIF funding was abruptly
Research studies indicate that in most discontinued by a new government in
areas of the UK education has played ‘a June 2010. Local authorities found it
central role in the social inclusion and difficult to continue to deliver these
wellbeing’ of Roma children and families services, despite seeing engagement
(Lever, 2012) and educational services with and providing services for Roma
were the most involved with Roma migrants as ‘an ongoing priority’
migrants (Brown et al, 2013). In other (Migration Yorkshire, 2010). This
areas, families would come to the combined with other public sector cuts,
attention of the local authority via health diminished funding for ESOL, the
visitors, housing officers or from police abolition of TES and national policy
community support officers, sometimes changes directed at migrants (welfare
after complaints from neighbours (Brown changes restricting access to Housing
et al, 2013). Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance in
2014) allowed local conditions to
Despite having extensive experience of deteriorate (Migration Yorkshire, 2017b).
working with multi-ethnic communities,
few local authorities or statutory services Commitments to take concrete steps to
had any previous experience of working improve the situation of the UK’s Roma
with Roma families. Staff were frequently population were made back in 2012
11(Foreign and Commonwealth Office specifically. The exception was measures
(2013), following the adoption of the related to education ‘where they overlap
European Commission’s EU Framework with those impacting Gypsy and
for National Roma Integration Strategies Travellers’ (Communities and Local
(NRIS) a year earlier. However issues Government, 2012).
raised by local authorities and other
partners were not evident in the With a limited response, lead or specific
government’s official plan (European policy direction from central government,
Commission, 2012). While migrant Roma many local communities, neighbourhoods
arriving in the UK as EU nationals were and services felt that they were left to
clearly recognised as a separate group address the situation by themselves. This
within the wider GRT umbrella (and were has led to significant differences in how
mentioned within the relevant towns and cities across the UK have
background information in the integration responded to the needs of Roma
strategy), the 28 commitments that communities (Figure 1).
followed did not mention them
12Figure 1. Examples of the responses to the needs of Roma communities across the UK
Type of Examples Details Location
response
Local authority Manchester Roma strategy 2011-14 (Manchester Manchester
city wide Roma Strategy City Council, 2013 and Manchester City
Council, 2016)
Glasgow initiative Local action plan (Scottish Churches Glasgow
Racial Justice Group, 2016)
Strategic Migration Roma Source, Roma MATRIX, NRN, Yorkshire
Migration Yorkshire South Yorkshire Roma Project and the
Partnership led (Migration Yorkshire website) Humber
East of England Parallel Lives Roma Project (East of East of
Local England, 2017) England
Government
Association
Statutory sector Health Public Health – Slovak Roma Health Sheffield and
Needs Assessment (Willis, 2016) and Rotherham
Roma Community Health Needs
(Rotherham Metropolitan Borough
Council, 2013)
Primary Care – Slovak Roma Health Sheffield
project (Primary Care Sheffield, 2018)
Education LA coordinated – strategy and capacity Sheffield
building (Sheffield City Council, 2017)
GRT teams (NRN, 2017a; NRN, 2017c) Leeds,
Leicester,
Doncaster
Early Education – St. Edmund’s Nursery Bradford
(NRN, 2017b)
School led – Babington College Leicester
(Penfold, 2015)
Housing Selective Licensing Schemes (Sheffield Sheffield
City Council, 2014)
LA partnership with Housing Association Liverpool
– Granby Toxteth Development Trust
(GTDT website)
Employment LA led – Pathways to employment Rotherham
(Migration Yorkshire, 2015b)
Churches Diocese St Luton Roma Trust (Luton Roma Trust, Luton
Alban’s 2018)
Liberty Church Community activities (Migration Rotherham
Yorkshire, 2017b)
Universities University of National research (for example Brown et National
Salford al, 2013) and capacity building –
Supporting Roma Voices (Brown et al,
2016)
13Type of Examples Details Location
response
University of Building capacity – Roma Community Derby
Derby (Multi-faith Care (Henry, 2015)
Centre)
University of Research – MigRom project (University Manchester
Manchester of Manchester, 2018)
(Humanities)
Roma-led Roma Support Advocacy and policy work (Roma London
organisations Group Support Group website)
COMPAS Community organisation (COMPAS Peterborough
website)
Friends of Community activities (NRN, 2017c) Glasgow
Romano Lav
Roma Khamoro Hosted by REMA (REMA, 2016b) Rotherham
Other third Ethnic minority Roma Forum, Roma drop-in (REMA, Rotherham
sector – REMA 2016b)
organisations
EU migrants: Roma Rights project (The AIRE Centre, London
The AIRE Centre 2018)
Health: Darnall Roma Health Project (Darnall Wellbeing Sheffield,
Well-being and website), health related projects Bradford
Thornbury Centre
Youth: Youth Youth work (NRN, 2017a and NRN, South
Association, 2017c) Yorkshire,
YMCA/My place Rotherham
Education: Advocacy, training, CSE awareness Rotherham
Clifton Learning (Clifton learning Partnership website)
Partnership
Roma focused: Advice and advocacy (The Roma Coventry
The Roma Project website)
Project
Limited Big Issue North Self-employment (Big Issue North, Leeds,
company 2010) and well-being (Migration Manchester,
Yorkshire, 2014) Sheffield
Funders Metropolitan Roma Migrant Funding Programme Across the
Migration (Metropolitan migration Foundation, country
Foundation 2015)
Joseph Rowntree For example NRN, Supporting Roma Across the
Foundation Voices, Roma Rights project country
Big Lottery Fund For example – South Yorkshire Roma Across the
Project, Kent Roma Project (NRN, country
2017c), other smaller community
projects
14National Roma Network
The National Roma Network (NRN) was The NRN requested funding from the
set up in 2012 by Migration Yorkshire as Department for Communities and Local
part of the larger European ‘Roma Government (DCLG) but none has been
SOURCE’ project. It included available during the seven year period.
representatives from local authorities and Instead the NRN has relied on a range of
central government, voluntary sector and other funders – the European
universities. The network’s main ambition Commission through the Roma Source
was to enable effective communication and Roma MATRIX programmes, the
between various stakeholders on the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and
issues relating to migrant Roma most recently the Metropolitan Migration
communities in their local context and Foundation
share good practice (Migration Yorkshire,
2012). The network was hosted by Roma involvement
Migration Yorkshire until December 2017.
In 2015 the NRN was re-structured. It
From the start, the focus of the NRN was became more a formal partnership with
on migrant Roma who came to the UK agreed aims and objectives, and also
from Eastern and Central Europe, more inclusive, involving members of
predominantly after the expansion of the Roma communities and voluntary
EU in 2004 and 2007. This was due to organisations. Greater meaningful
the recognition that this group possesses participation from members of Roma
distinctive needs and challenges, often communities, the focus on enabling
very different from those of indigenous Roma to have an active voice and
Gypsy and Traveller communities or support for Roma activists were all seen
other migrants. as essential factors to create change and
build trust with the wider Roma
The NRN was seen as an effective tool communities across the UK.
by the government. It was cited in the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s The aims of the NRN were broadened
2012 Human Rights and Democracy and include:
report as the central UK action to
‘overcome the challenges to Roma Enabling and supporting a national
integration’ (Foreign and Commonwealth strategic approach to migrant
Office, 2012) and was mentioned in Roma integration in the UK;
Parliament by Baroness Warsi during the Ensuring a more joined-up
International Roma Day debate in 2014 approach to migrant Roma
as a mechanism that ‘makes information integration across sectors,
and best practice sharing possible’ (BBC, including central government, local
2014). government, other statutory
organisations, the voluntary
15sector, Roma groups and
individuals;
Increasing Roma participation and NRN Forum meetings
involvement in policy across the
Between September 2015 and December
UK;
2017 the NRN organised a number of
Ensuring a strong united voice in
thematic events involving a
influencing policy and practice
representation from the government,
affecting migrant Roma at national
statutory services, local authorities,
and local levels;
voluntary organisations and Roma
Enabling exchange of information
professionals, activists and community
and sharing good practice.
members (see Figure 2).
The work of the NRN is directed by a
Figure 2. NRN Forum meetings
working group, consisting of
representatives from local government,
Date Themes
the voluntary sector, universities and
Roma activists. In May 2016 two Roma September Roma participation and
2015 leadership
individuals chosen by Roma communities April 2016 Education
became co-chairs of the NRN. They
July 2016 Police and criminal
provide additional perspectives on the
justice
issues discussed and ensure that the October 2016 Employment
work of the network is shaped by Roma
June 2017 Brexit
priorities.
September Housing
One co-chair is Denisa Gannon (formerly 2017
Psenickova), the first Roma qualified December Final NRN Conference
lawyer in the UK (Baksi, 2018), originally 2017 ‘Right , Equalities and
Future Roma Voices
from Czech Republic. She is a ‘brilliant
role model to young Roma’ as she
regularly gives presentations at schools These events aimed to discuss the most
to increase aspirations, and is a great pressing policy issues, highlight local
ambassador for the Roma community.1 responses and best practice, and enable
peer learning and sharing of expertise.
The second co-chair is Liviu Dinu, a
More importantly, they were intended to
Romanian Roma student at the
provide a platform for members of
University of Salford. Liviu is a ‘thoughtful
migrant Roma communities to engage
speaker with a keen analysis of the
with statutory services and the
issues faced by migrant Roma across the
government, contributing their
EU’, and is ‘experienced in a range of
perspectives on the issues discussed,
fora and… well regarded within a number
sharing their communities’ concerns and
of networks across the EU’.2
proposing the way forward.
1 2
Information submitted in support of Denisa’s Information submitted in support of Liviu’s
nomination. nomination.
16Most of the priority policy and practice NRN to offer an insight into how
issues relating to Roma migration to the the Race Disparity Audit (RDA)
UK were discussed at those meetings. might meet the aspirations of the
Plans to cover health and anti- Roma communities, and to gauge
discrimination as further themes were the types of concerns Roma might
superseded by the EU referendum result, have in regards to such exercises.
which changed priorities for NRN
members and Roma communities. As a Kate Green MP, co-chair of the
result, health and anti-discrimination APPG for Gypsies, Travellers and
were not discussed as separate themes. Roma and of the APPG on
However, they are included in this report Migration, gave a lead
as they remain relevant to the situation of presentation at the final event in
Roma in the UK. London.
NRN Forum meetings helped to facilitate NATT+ (the National
discussion with a number of government Association of Teachers of
departments and leading Gypsy Roma Travellers and other
Traveller (GRT) and migration professionals), were involved in a
organisations. They included: joint national forum meeting on
education.
Mark Sims, Ofsted. Mark
researched and wrote the Ofsted
Other leading NGOs – including
report on the support provided to
Roma Support Group, Roma
Roma children in schools,
Community Care, Migrant Rights
‘Overcoming Barriers – ensuring
Network, AIRE Centre, and
that Roma children are fully
Housing Rights/MigrationWorks –
engaged and achieving in
presented and shared their
education’ (Ofsted, 2014). He
expertise at a number of meetings.
attended a national Forum
meeting to present his findings,
answer questions and listen to the Local authority professionals –
debate. including staff from Sheffield,
Glasgow and Leeds teams – who
Marcus Bell, Director of the shared local experience of, and
Race Disparity Unit at the responses to, issues relating to
Cabinet Office. Marcus attended education, housing and
two consecutive meetings of the employment.
171. Education
Education is one of the most important missed out on free school meals (FSM)
policy areas for NRN members for a due to evolving restrictions on EU
number of reasons. Firstly, schools and migrants’ access to benefits. Eligibility for
traveller services were among the first FSM is linked with the pupil premium,
public services to engage with newly and thus impacts upon schools’ income
arrived members of Roma communities, streams (Roma Support, 2016a). Had the
and good practice has emerged with pupil premium been available, it could
regards to their engagement with Roma have been used to employ Roma
communities and improving attainment of speaking staff or extra English as an
students (Penfold, 2015). A better future Additional Language (EAL) support –
for their children is one of the main interventions noted as very effective
reasons why Roma families have been (Payne, 2015).
moving to the UK (Sime, 2014) and their
experience of schools in the UK has The NRN Forum on Education, organised
largely been positive (Equality, 2011). jointly with NATT+ in April 2016, explored
a number different aspects of education.
Schools are not only the service Roma These included the role of TES services
families engage with more frequently in supporting Roma children and their
(Brown, 2013) - noticeably they also are school experience. In particular, the
proactive in creating partnerships with impact of cuts to the service on schools
other services to provide a more co- and families was discussed, as it has
ordinated response to Roma needs resulted in lost expertise, affecting the
(Lever, 2012). Additionally, education is ability of schools to support Roma
perhaps the only area in which the children and families. This can often lead
government acknowledges the additional to family disengagement with the school
challenges faced by migrant Roma. – and an overall worse experience of
Ofsted was asked to produce a report education in the UK.
exploring the barriers migrant Roma
children face in school settings (Ofsted, The role of community organisations in
2014) and to identify examples of good supporting Roma families with education,
practice (Ofsted, 2015). Nonetheless, it and the issues they face, was explored
does not appear that Ofsted’s by a support worker from Luton Roma
subsequent recommendations have as Trust. They reported on how difficulties in
yet been acted upon by the government. communicating with local authority
educational departments affect children’s
Recent cuts to public spending, the experiences of schooling in the UK.
abolition of Traveller Education Services
(TES) and policy changes Safeguarding in school and beyond was
disproportionally impacting Roma discussed by Dan Allen from Salford
families, have made the work of schools University and Gaba Smolinska-Poffley
and other education services challenging. from the Roma Support Group. They
For example, many Roma children have provided an overview of initial findings
18from the research carried out in the North Safeguarding, including child
of England on safeguarding. Examples of protection, CSE;
the assistance Roma Support Group Roma students are not
provides to Roma families in some areas progressing towards higher
and the impact this has, were also education;
discussed. Low take up of free nursery places
by Roma parents (Early Years
Other issues explored were Roma pupils’ education).
eligibility to free school meal and the
implications of this; the importance of Current practice and NRN actions:
high quality EAL and ESOL provision for
children and families; how to address Roma members of staff, who can
issues in education and work with become trusted links between
schools and other partners; the role of schools and members of their
Roma Saturday schools; and the sharing community;
of good practice in schools was Provision for children waiting for
presented by Babington College and school places involving whole
Mark Sims from Ofsted. families (NRN, 2017c);
Roma cultural training for
Issues identified by NRN members: educational professionals;
Joint engagement projects –
The need to increase Roma
school/children’s centres with
involvement in schools, eg. Roma
support organisations (Clifton
staff, involvement of the Roma
Learning Partnership website);
community in decision-making;
Family and school mediation;
EAL and ESOL provision for
Sharing reports related to Roma
children and parents does not take
experiences of UK schooling;
into account additional issues
Sharing resources and examples
faced by Roma (such as lack of
of good practice within the
primary education, illiteracy,
education sector on the website
English being a third language);
and through the NRN updates;
Low awareness of Roma culture
Engaging with wider policies
among teachers and other
affecting Roma – NRN responded
educational staff;
to NATECLA’s proposals to
Issues with funding linked to free
develop ESOL strategy for
school meals and ascription;
England by providing Roma
Support needed for Roma parents
experiences of accessing ESOL
on how the UK education system
and highlighting additional barriers
works;
they are facing (NRN, 2018).
High level of exclusions, often
linked to experiences of racism in
schools;
192. Police and criminal justice
Migrant Roma are hardly mentioned in mediation involving Roma and other
any commitments to community settled communities (Migration Yorkshire,
cohesion. The government published a 2015a) and Derby on supporting Roma
new Hate Crime Strategy (Home Office, victims and offenders (NRN, 2017b).
2016) in which focus was given to Gypsy
and Traveller communities and Roma The NRN Forum on police and criminal
were mentioned as belonging to GRT justice explored issues relating to these
communities. Yet, the report failed to areas and presented local examples of
acknowledge additional problems Roma work being done with Roma communities
migrants might face when reporting hate to build better relationships with police.
crime, such as the language barrier, Roma Community Care presented on
deep-rooted fear of police or the risk of their work with Roma communities in
becoming more ‘visible’ and more Derby, which involved engagement with
vulnerable to administrative removals by local police officers and programmes for
the Home Office.3 Roma youth on raising awareness on UK
laws and decreasing offending. AIRE
Similarly, government hate crime centre shared findings from their
operational guidance was updated with investigation into the Home Office’s
additional information on Gypsy and administrative removal of vulnerable EU
Traveller culture, but little attention was nationals, many of whom were thought to
given to the cultural background of be Roma – a practice since found by UK
migrant Roma. This is despite the fact courts to be in breach of human rights
that Roma belong to two of the four main (Taylor, 2017).
groups identified as requiring more
engagement (GRT and new migrant This was followed by Professor Margaret
communities), and have been recognised Greenfield, who shared research into
as more likely to be affected by hate youth offenders from the Roma
crime yet avoid reporting it. community and examined the support
they were receiving.
Some relevant work has been done on
hate crime nationally and locally. At a Issues identified:
national level, the Gypsy Roma Traveller
Police Association was seen as an General distrust of police among
example of good practice. The first Roma Roma;
police officer, Petr Torak, (who was Increase in hate crime post-EU
awarded an MBE for his services to the referendum (Migration Yorkshire,
Roma community in 2015 (Peterborough 2017a);
Telegraph, 2015), was the chair and Reluctance to report crime, due to
migrant Roma were included. Locally, the fear of police passing victims’
Bradford worked on cross community
3NRN Forum on Police and Criminal Justice:
discussion notes
20details to Immigration (Roma Support Group, 2015) and
Enforcement, which in turn might culture training sessions;
lead to removals; Sharing example of good practice
Over-representation of Roma in of working with the Roma
prisons and youth offending community – Roma Community
institutions; Care in Derby (work with youth
More joined-up actions and better offenders) and Roma Support
engagement needed on issues Group (working with communities
affecting the Roma community, to design court diversion and
such as CSE and trafficking. intervention services – e.g. Roma
girls small business/sewing
Current practice and NRN actions: project);
Increasing awareness and
Sharing existing resources created resilience among Roma
to increase understanding and communities regarding child
boost the reporting of hate crime sexual exploitation – materials
among members of GRT created by The Children’s Society
communities; (The Children’s Society, 2017) and
Promoting understanding of Roma REMA (REMA, 2016a);
culture among police officers Roma recruited as police officers
and special constables.
213. Employment
There are many reports (e.g. Horton and Rotherham, apprenticeships at local
Greyson, 2008; Brown et al, 2013; Brown businesses and the council were offered
et al, 2016), describing Roma to a group of Roma young people as
experiences of low skilled insecure pathways to more sustainable
employment often through employment employment. Sheffield also runs a
agencies and with big concentrations of scheme through the local authority
Roma at particular workplaces. Like other lifelong services focused on upskilling
new migrants, Roma are often unaware and career progression for local Roma
of their rights, and as a result exploited. individuals (Morris, 2016).
Studies in Bradford (NRN, 2017a) and
Glasgow (Adams and McKay, 2016) Some current initiatives also define
found that majority of the Roma Roma as a target group, such as the
employees interviewed were paid below Connecting Opportunities project in the
minimum wage. Instances of Roma being Leeds City Region, funded by the Big
asked to pay for an offer of work were Lottery and European Structural Fund
also reported (Migration Yorkshire, through Building Better Opportunities
2017a). Due to difficulties finding programme. One of the challenges
mainstream employment many have reported in attracting Roma participants
turned to the informal economy, working is due to strict employability/ economic
in car washes, as self-employed cleaners inactivity criteria of some programmes,
and scrap metal collectors. Self- as Roma are often ineligible due to their
employment as Big Issue sellers was working status.
also commonly reported among
Romanian Roma living in Manchester The NRN Forum on Employment
and Leeds, due to the legacy of market provided the opportunity to engage with a
restrictions affecting A2 nationals. number of issued mentioned by the
members. Sheffield and Glasgow
There are examples of employment Councils discussed initiatives in their
initiatives focusing on Roma. Apart from localities, their successes and
support with language and CV challenges. Big Issue in the North shared
workshops offered by many third sector experiences of working with Roma and
organisations, some work was done in some insights into the difficulties and
Glasgow (The Scottish Government, aspirations among their Roma vendors.
2014) and Rotherham (Migration
Yorkshire, 2015b), which was co- There were also presentations from a
ordinated by local authorities. In number of agencies, such as local Job
Glasgow, the focus was on a range of Centres, ACAS and Employment Agency
advocacy and practical support, with Standards, who explained their role in
services involved adapting their supporting vulnerable workers in the UK.
approaches to meet the needs of their
Roma service users, especially poor level
of English and literacy skills. In
22Issues identified: Apparent lack of, or small number
of, role models within the Roma
Prevalence of insecure and low- community in secure
paid employment; employment.
Big Issue selling seen as a long-
term employment possibility; Current practice and NRN actions:
Difficulties in accessing ESOL
while maintaining employment; Informal English sessions linked
Lack of progression to better paid with practical skills – cooking,
jobs; sewing;
Exploitation – paid below Family based language
minimum wage; interventions;
Available projects do not fit Roma Paid youth placement schemes
needs – some are seen as with lower entry points (Migration
‘useless pieces of paper that Yorkshire, 2015b);
cannot move you onto the labour Local Roma employability projects
market’ (Brown et al, 2015); – ESOL, CV workshops and IT
classes.
234. Brexit
Brexit has been a dominant issue since departments and ensure Roma
the referendum in June 2016. Almost perspectives on the issue are
every other issue related to Roma understood.
migration has since been framed in this
context. Some initial experiences of Issues identified:
Roma and their reactions in South
Yorkshire were captured by the report Evidence that Roma are often
produced by Migration Yorkshire targeted by the Home Office for
(Migration Yorkshire, 2017a) and a report removal from the UK for not
by BBC Look North (Ansell, 2016). Since exercising their EU treaty rights
the referendum there has been lots of (Roma Support Group, 2016c);
uncertainty and anxiety among many EU People feel scared and are feeling
national groups. However, Roma, and compelled to apply for residency
many organisations supporting them, feel cards; they don’t know where to
that Roma might be particularly affected go and are often exploited by
by the new rules and vulnerable to post- unscrupulous people (NRN,
Brexit deportations (Migration Yorkshire, 2017a);
2017a). Concerns that Roma might be
more adversely affected by the
The other issue raised in relation to post-Brexit arrangements, due to
Roma and Brexit was further funding for difficulties accessing legal help or
Roma projects and the wider impact of fulfilling permanent residency
Brexit on Roma in Europe. European requirements;
Funds currently support this group in the Anecdotal reports of Roma being
UK and concerns were raised about this stranded in France and Slovak
funding ending, resulting in calls on the authorities not allowing them to
government to ensure that this funding is return to the UK – claiming that
replaced (Morris, 2016). With Brexit likely their orders come from Britain;
to make migration to the UK harder, less Young people unsure about their
remittances will also be sent to support status if their families return to
Roma back in countries of origin home countries (NRN, 2017a);
(Jancarikova, 2016). Organisations supporting Roma
need advice on how to guide
The NRN Forum on Brexit was an
Roma during this time of
opportunity for Roma and support
uncertainty;
organisations to find out more about the
Increase in hate crime, including
current government’s proposals related
children experiencing hate crime
to EU nationals in the UK, to learn about
within schools, feeling unwelcome
the concerns communities have, and to
and treated differently by
share examples of best practice. Roma
shopkeepers, doctors (Migration
Support Group described their efforts to
Yorkshire, 2017a);
engage the relevant government
24 Many families feeling forced to go e.g. continuity of employment and
back to Slovakia or Czech the fact that applications for
Republic, due to inability to settlement documentation must
support themselves (the main be done online, creating problems
issues are difficulties getting a job for many with limited access to
and accessing benefits) and the computers or lacking lCT skills;
involvement of social services continuity of employment;
(mainly due to alleged neglect) Working with other migrant
(NRN, 2017a); organisations on securing rights of
Lack of free legal help. EU nationals after Brexit and
representing Roma issues in the
Current practice and NRN actions: Brexit debate;
Information sessions for
Preparing a briefing after the community members;
referendum reassuring Roma of Limited assistance available with
their rights as EU nationals in the completing residency applications
UK, made available in most Roma – due to OISC limits;
languages;4 Help with challenging
Collecting the experiences of administrative removals.
Roma post-referendum;
Identify challenges Roma might
face in applying for settlement –
4
Brexit briefing was produced by Migration Yorkshire
and translated by NRN members
255. Housing
Issues faced by Roma migrants related unused flats, which were then rented to
to securing accommodation in the UK, as local residents on low incomes, many of
well as the quality of accommodation, whom were Roma (NRN, 2017a).
have been widely reported (Brown et al,
2016). Some are similar to the problems The NRN Forum on Housing discussed
faced by other migrants with low levels of many of these issues in detail and shared
English or sufficient knowledge to experiences of local authorities involved
navigate UK systems, while others, such in selective licencing schemes. The
as overcrowding, people gathering on the University of Salford (Brown et al, 2016)
streets and low level anti-social and Migration Yorkshire (Migration
behaviour were more unique to Roma Yorkshire, 2017a and 2017b) shared
migrants. finding from their reports on experiences
of Roma linked to housing. They were
Welfare reforms, such as sanctions and able to confirm that some problems
housing benefit cuts, have also led to previously reported had become more
Roma families facing insecurity in the extensive. Sheffield City Council provided
private rented sector. The financial their take on the successes and
difficulties experienced by some Roma challenges of selective licencing scheme
while in the UK may prohibit them from run in the Page Hall area of Sheffield,
returning to their countries of origin and, where Roma migrants were settling in
as a result, some are beginning to move significant numbers, while Housing
around within the UK to find more Rights (MigrationWorks) gave a legal
affordable accommodation and overview of migrants’ access to housing.
employment (NRN, 2017a).
Issues identified:
In some parts of the UK with high Roma
concentration, licencing schemes for Housing conditions of variable
landlords were introduced, with additional quality, many in low end of the
funding provided for third sector private sector;
organisations to support Roma Overcrowding, as Roma often
navigating the private sector housing have big families and live with
market (Burke, 2017). extended family, but can’t afford
large properties;
Joint initiatives between local authorities Inability to challenge landlords
and housing associations were also due to lack of knowledge and
reported. In Liverpool, Roma language skills;
development workers were employed to Illegal evictions;
help with community cohesion and to
Deportations of EU rough
raise awareness of environmental issues
sleepers;
among Roma communities (NRN,
Difficulties accessing Housing
2017a), while in Glasgow Govanhill
Benefit;
Housing Association were refurbishing
26 Anecdotal evidence of requests Current practice and NRN actions:
for sexual favours instead of rent;
Discrimination in rental market Rental rights and responsibilities
due to being ‘high risk’; awareness sessions;
High mobility due to difficulties in Assistance with securing
securing long term accommodation;
accommodation. Mediation between
individuals/families and landlords;
Assistance with challenging
evictions and benefits decisions;
Neighbourhood actions –
recycling, street cleaning.
276. Health
Health was among the themes as Roma women’s health champions in
mentioned in the Ministerial Working Yorkshire, in which Roma community
Group’s progress report (Communities members disseminated information and
and Local Government, 2012). The helped improve access to services
specific challenges faced by migrant (Migration Yorkshire, 2014).
Roma when accessing health services
were briefly mentioned in relation to Sheffield Children’s Hospital produced a
language obstacles. It was recognised number of bilingual resources for Slovak
that poor English could create an Roma parents about common childhood
additional barrier to navigating the health health problems (Sheffield Children’s
system for migrant Roma, and therefore NHS Foundation Trust website);
affect their access to healthcare, but no Mental health needs among Roma
specific actions were proposed. communities are also being increasingly
recognised and starting to be addressed
The recommendations for the (Roma Support Group, 2012; Robinson,
Department of Health do not include 2016).
Roma communities specifically, under
the remit of the National Health Inclusion Issues identified:
Board, there were a number of reports
and good practice in relation to the health Problems with registration and
needs of Roma communities. access to GPs;
Low take-up of immunizations;
Roma specific health assessments have Hearing issues among children –
been undertaken in many areas around Sheffield (Sheffield City Council,
the UK, such as in Sheffield (Slovak 2016; University of Leeds, 2018);
Roma), Rotherham (Czech and Slovak) Difficulties accessing disability
and Leeds. In other places Roma were benefits (Roma Support Group,
included in health needs assessments of 2017b).
other vulnerable groups – e.g. migrants,
Eastern and Central Europeans, or Actions by NRN and its members:
Gypsy Roma and Travellers.5
There have been a number of initiatives Local health needs assessments;
addressing Roma needs relating to Roma community members
health. These include a primary care employed as health advocates;
project to improve Roma access to GPs Roma interpreters employed by
in Sheffield, in which community GP practices;
members were based at GP practices Joint initiatives undertaken by
(Primary Care Sheffield, 2018). health services and schools;
Awareness projects also took place, such
5
Links to health assessments involving Roma https://nationalromanetwork.wordpress.com/nrn-
communities are available on NRN website resources/health-and-the-roma-community/
28 Roma culture leaflets and training
sessions for health service staff
(Roma Support Group, 2016b).
29Cross-cutting themes
Data on migrant Roma
One of the main difficulties the NRN has therefore are unlikely to select this
been facing while advocating for change category on forms.
and influencing policy and practice at
national and local level is the lack of This set-up also prevents proper
reliable, or often any, data on the size monitoring of equal opportunities and
and characteristics of the Roma anti-discrimination policies. It interferes
population in the UK. In many cities with attempts to plan for the future
across the UK there is locally gathered ‘through resource allocation and
information on Roma migrants facing informing provision of services’ (Office for
difficulties in various aspects of lives, but National Statistics, 2012), as the needs
due to the lack of reliable data collection of the groups put together as GRT are
it is very challenging to establish the often very different. This issue was
scale of their exclusion. This, many picked up by the Council of Europe,
argue, leads to Roma continuing to be where, in the response to the UK’s report
‘invisibilised’ (Craig, 2011). The recent on protection of national minorities, the
outcome of the Race Equality Audit Advisory Committee noted that there was
showed that Roma were almost non- ‘often a conflation between policies
existent within national statistics. Only addressing Gypsies and Travellers, on
the Department for Education had some one hand, and Roma, on the other hand,’
‘rather disquieting information about GRT which ‘does not always allow targeting of
children and how they are doing’, while the specific needs of each group’
other departments knew very little (Council of Europe, 2017). This call for
(House of Commons, 2018). separating Roma and Gypsy Traveller
categories has been previously made by
There are no official ways to monitor the others (Penfold, 2014).
numbers of migrant Roma coming to or
living in the UK. Public services either In the absence of official data collection
collect data on nationality (such as the methods, there have been local attempts
DWP, when monitoring applications for to estimate the numbers of Roma
National Insurance Number) or ethnicity, migrants, aiming to address the gap and
none of which have categories ‘catering’ enable local authorities to respond to the
for Roma communities. Current ethnicity needs of their communities. Some
forms used by public services are studies estimated the numbers using
predominantly based on categories used ‘new national insurance registrations
in the 2011 Census, in which ‘Roma’ are from certain EU states’ (Rotherham
grouped with Gypsy and Travellers. This Metropolitan Borough Council, 2015),
creates additional difficulties, as many while others utilised different data
Roma do not identify as Gypsy and find sources, such as the school census of
this term offensive, and they are pupils and GP registrations (Sheffield
City council, 2016). Often these studies
30were supplemented with additional assessment, in which the lack of reliable
information, such as assumptions of data collection methods was mentioned
family makeup (Glasgow City Council, as ‘a key challenge’ (Willis, 2013).
2013) or other local ‘intelligence’
(Manchester City Council, 2013). Work is also being done by the Cabinet
Office, following the RDA, who are
There was also an attempt to estimate ‘talking to departments about what data
numbers regionally and nationally. they collect, about which groups and
Scotland produced estimates of its Roma about which categories they use, with a
communities (The Social Marketing view to getting a bit more consistency in
Gateway, 2013) and assessments of their approach’ (House of Commons,
their needs (Scottish Churches Racial 2018). The Office for National Statistics is
Justice Group, 2016). In the UK, the currently reviewing ethnicity categories
University of Salford undertook a survey available in the census and it is
with all local authorities, concluding that considering ‘Roma’ as one of the
in 2013 the was number is close to categories to be added to the list (Office
200,000. This has since been considered for National Statistics, 2018).
a ‘conservative estimate’ (Brown et al,
2013). It needs to be acknowledged that other
challenges related to data monitoring still
Some progress has been made to remain. Many reports highlight the fact
address the lack of data collection that prejudice and discrimination
methods. There are now Roma ethnicity experienced in their countries of origin
categories in some education and health influence Roma perceptions of statutory
data. However, opportunities to improve services in the UK and adversely affect
ethnic monitoring data elsewhere have their willingness to self-identify as Roma
been missed, for example when new (Bradford Metropolitan District Council,
Universal Credit services were being 2014; Penfold, 2015; Sheffield City
developed. In education ‘Roma’ was Council, 2016). Fearing discrimination
added as a separate ethnic category in and not having access to knowledge of
the school census from September 2015 the benefits fully explained to them by
(Department for Education, 2015) services, there is reluctance among
following the Ofsted report on Roma to disclose their ethnicity to public
overcoming barriers Roma pupils face in officials.
schools, which stressed the importance
of accurately monitoring the number of This reluctance and fear was very visible
Roma pupils (Ofsted, 2014) and heavy at the NRN Forum meeting in September
lobbying by the third sector 2017, when the RDA was discussed with
organisations. Within the health sector, the Cabinet Office. A number of Roma
Roma codes were developed and added attendees raised concerns around
to standard ethnicity codes used by GP publishing data on Roma, due to the fear
practices available across the country of victimization. Though many recognised
from April 2016, which was the result of that gathering this data is an important
the Sheffield Slovak Roma health step towards advocating for change,
31some felt that the risks associated with who do not have to apply for the
disclosing ethnicity outweigh the benefits. registration card. While these market
This shows that there is still a lot to be restrictions were since lifted, there is still
done to build the trust. a legacy of certain self-employment
routes among some Romanian Roma.
The presentation from The Big Issue in
Cultural awareness and diversity the North in October 2016 showed that
of the migrant Roma population majority of their sellers in Yorkshire and
the North of England are Romanian
Greater understanding of Roma culture Roma, with many seeing it as a
and the recognition of diversity has been permanent job rather than a path to other
seen as an important step towards more sustainable employment.
positive engagement with this community
(Migration Yorkshire, 2017b). Roma Some Roma come from very traditional
migrants coming to the UK are not a communities, with stricter moral and
homogenous community and there are behavioral codes, and their approach to
distinct differences between various services might be different than those
Roma groups, even within those from the from more modern Roma groups.
same country e.g. some local tensions
While there are many free resources
between Romanian and Slovak Roma
explaining aspects of Roma culture (e.g.
were reported by the NRN members.
Roma Support Group, 2016b) and Roma
The majority of Roma speak the workshops in some locations (Sheffield
language of the country they come from, City Council, 2017), more coordinated
with some speaking Romani as well. action needs to take place to increase
However, some will speak Romani only, professionals’ understanding of this
and in such cases providing an diverse group, so it is more consistent
interpreter based on nationality might not across the UK.
be helpful. It should also be noted that
there are various dialects of Romani, Complexity of the Roma
which are very different. situation
There are also distinctions between Poverty has been a reoccurring theme at
Roma communities relating to NRN meetings, as well as within many
immigration status. Due to labour market studies on Roma communities in Europe
restrictions imposed on A2 nationals and Roma migrants in the UK. The
(Romania and Bulgaria), until January reasons for this include the difficulties
2014 Romanian Roma faced additional Roma experience when seeking
barriers to employment, compared to A8 employment and accessing welfare
nationals. Many were unable to get an benefits (NRN, 2017c). This creates
Accession Worker Authorisation Card, greater vulnerability to exploitation, such
unlike Roma involved in self-employed as below minimum wage pay, and often
activities (such as Big Issue sellers, triggers the involvement of social
cleaners or collectors of scrap metal), services due to perceived child neglect
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