A report into the impact of multi-agency work supporting Roma children in education

Roma migration from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has increased significantly over the last decade as a result of EU expansion. There are now sizable Roma communities in many parts of England – including London, the Midlands and Northern England. Roma are one of the most persecuted groups in history and they can be extremely suspicious of the intentions and actions of non-Roma. Self-help is thus a key feature of Roma culture and many Roma migrants are extremely reluctant to engage with support agencies when they arrive in England. Legislation continues to restrict the type of work nationals from A2 accession states can do and many Roma thus exist at the margins of mainstream society. This has direct implications for the education of Roma children, who are often required to help their families earn an income rather than attend school. Multi-agency partnership work is recognized as a valuable tool for overcoming these problems and supporting Roma children into school. The research on which this report is based, set out to examine the impact of multi-agency partnership work engaging Roma migrants from CEE in more detail. It explored the challenges faced by agencies working with Roma and the impact of multi-agency work on the attendance levels and educational success of Roma children in secondary schools in England. It also assessed the potential impact of proposed changes to the school funding system on multi-agency work with Roma.