‘We all want the same thing – for our children to be safe’
VIDEO: Talking about vaccinations and children’s health - A Traveller mum meets Becky and Vicky, two specialist registered nurses for Kernow Health – a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that provides health services across Devon and Cornwall.
“Being a mum means looking safter your children and making sure they are healthy and safe as they grow,” says Liza Mortimer, a Romany mother and Trustee of the Travellers Times Charity.
“Healthcare professionals will tell us that vaccines are the best way to keep our families and children safe,” adds Liza.
“But many of us in the Romany and Traveller communities have grown up without them – including me and we have genuine concerns about how safe they really are.”
In this video, produced by Kernow Health, Liza meets Becky and Vicky, two registered nurses who specialise in the vaccination of children.
Liza is there to present concerns raised by Romany and Traveller mothers regarding childhood vaccination. These issues were collected by Kernow Health professionals during a series of engagement meetings held throughout Devon and Cornwall.
Engagement sessions were held with a mix of parents, young people, and community representatives from Gypsy and Traveller groups in Devon, Cornwall and beyond. Questions were posed directly by community members, providing valuable insight into the kinds of conversations that NHS staff may encounter in outreach work.
The sessions were designed not as lectures but as two-way conversations - where community members could share knowledge, experiences, and uncertainties in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
Kernow Health workers spoke with Romany and Traveller mums about concerns including whether vaccines are safe for children, fears of vaccines causing the illness they are meant to prevent and worries about possible side effects.
Other Romany and Traveller mums were concerned about the ingredients of a vaccine and wanted to know what they were made of.
Families valued being told, “you can always ask what’s in it — we won’t be offended,” say Kernow Health, adding that open, factual communication was seen as a mark of respect.
Trust in the healthcare professional is often the heart of the matter, say Kernow Health.
“Several community members spoke about negative past experiences with healthcare - feeling judged, dismissed, or spoken down to,” they add.
“Building trust requires consistency - such as having the same nurse or health visitor return regularly and investing in local champions from within Gypsy and Traveller communities — is essential to improving confidence.”
Download and read the report on the Kernow Health engagement meetings with Romany and Traveller parents and families here:
TT News
(All images are stills from the Kernow Health video and used with permission)