Help us understand kinship care for children and young people from Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller lead research team explain why they want to hear about experiences of kinship care from young people and children from their communities

Kinship care (children living with family members when their birth parents aren’t able to look after them) is deeply rooted within Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities. Children are often looked after by relatives in informal arrangements, reflecting strong family networks, cultural expectations, and community strengths.

But there is no existing research focusing specifically on Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller children and young people’s experiences of family care. Instead, their families often face high levels of discrimination and injustice.

This is why we – a group of researchers and members of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities – are carrying out new research on the views and experiences of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller children and young people’s experiences of kinship care, using their knowledge to shape and deliver future practice and policy.

To do so, we want to hear directly from the children and young people involved.

Allison Hulmes is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Swansea University, Director, co-founder of the Romani & Traveller Social Work Association, and Romani & Traveller Representative at the International Federation of Social Workers, and she is one of the partners carrying out the research. She said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the funding to undertake this vital research. As a Welsh Romani woman, social worker and co-founder of the Romani & Traveller Social Work Association, I know all too well the pain of families being torn apart and how those experiences last through the generations. Our hope is that this project will make a real difference in keeping Romany, Roma and Traveller children in family care.”

What does the project involve?

We will run a series of age-appropriate group workshops and creative activities, asking children and young people to share their thoughts on their experiences in kinship care. Their views will be collected and anonymised, and they will be the basis of our research.

Who we want to hear from:

Children and young people aged 7–25, based in England, who are from English Romani-Gypsy, English Traveller, Irish Traveller, Welsh Gypsy, and Roma communities.

Children and young people involved won’t have to answer questions they don’t want to, and they will only get involved in what they want to join in. We want to find out more about:

• Lived experiences of kinship care for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller children and young people.
• Cultural, contextual, and systemic factors shaping needs, experiences and outcomes.
• Experiences with support services and barriers to accessing them.
• What children and young people need to feel supported, respected, and understood by carers and wider societal systems.

Confidentiality

All information you share as part of this research will be treated with respect and handled confidentially in line with research governance and UK data protection regulations, including GDPR. Your identity will be protected through the use of pseudonyms or anonymisation, and all data will be stored securely. Findings from the study will be reported in a way that prevents your personal identification. 

Genty Lee, a peer researcher in this study, said: “I am an English Romani-Gypsy and a peer researcher for this project. I have never, before now, been interested in being involved in any research. I have been raised not to trust research because, for centuries, my ethnic group has been counted, studied, and researched extensively. Yet, I feel, we have seldom seen the benefits from such headcounts. In fact, I would argue that some research has helped to drive and enforce the stereotypes and stigma against us. However, this research, I am confident, can only benefit our young people and children in care. Due to my personal adoption journey, I know firsthand, through this experience, how obstacles can be placed before us because of the ethnic group we were born into.”

We are proud to work in partnership with our Partner Organisations:

• GATE Herts – national leadership and advocacy
• Kaskosan – Roma charity supporting capabilities, wellbeing and cultural law
• Kushti Bok – supporting Gypsy and Traveller communities across the South West
• Leeds GATE – improving quality of life for Gypsy and Traveller communities in West Yorkshire
• Lincolnshire Traveller Initiative – empowering families through trusted services
• Luton Roma Support Group – supporting access to education, welfare, housing and employment.

We would like to thank Foundations for commissioning this research.  Foundations is the national What Works Centre for Children & Families, established in 2022. Foundations’ vision is that vulnerable children have the foundational relationships they need to thrive, their mission to generate evidence to improve services that support family relationships will support us create evidence-based recommendations.

If you want to take part in this research, please fill out this form/contact us at a.e.hulmes@swansea.ac.uk

By Gentylia Lee, Allison Hulmes University of Swansea, Professor Alastair Roy, Professor Cath Larkins & Dr Deb Crook University of Lancaster, Dr Peter Unwin, University of Worcester

(Stock Photo by Bethany Beck on Unsplash)