David Cannon, chair of the Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and other Travellers, and manager of the Southwark Traveller Education Project, told Children Now that inter-agency working was vital to tackle the issues facing these children.
New statistics released by the Department for Education and Skills show 64 per cent of Travellers of Irish heritage and 54.8 per cent of Gypsy/Roma heritage are eligible for free school meals at primary school, a much higher proportion than any other ethnic group. The national average in England is 18.3 per cent.
"I'm not surprised," said Cannon. "These children are at the bottom of the heap."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
