Traveller children and the state: Welfare or neglect?

Travellers' historical experience is of persecution. Recent policy in England and Wales reflects assimilation or exclusion, with Travellers facing the paradox of pressure to settle and insufficient sites because of the failure to implement legislation. The conditions for many Travellers are damaging, and undermine access to other rights and services. Children are particularly severely affected, resulting in societally imposed neglect. Traveller children's low health status and the negative effects on their development are documented in practice reports, seminars and research. Policy trends have culminated in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which removes rights and increases penalties for travelling, and is likely to exacerbate an already problematic situation for many Traveller children. Welfare services both have contributed to and can counteract this societal neglect. Problems of access and service delivery are outlined in relation to health, education and social services, and new service developments described. Key criteria for positive practice are found to be common to these areas of welfare provision, and include anti-discrimination and cultural respect, outreach and community-oriented work; hand-held records; specialist provision focused on immediate needs and commitment to mainstream change; flexibility and inter-agency development work; and advocacy and campaigning alongside Travellers.     

Asylum, children's rights and social work

Although it is only a minority of displaced and persecuted people globally who seek refuge in ‘Western’ countries, they meet an increasingly hostile reception. This paper focuses on the situation facing children seeking asylum with or without their families in Britain and Australia, and the implications for children's rights and for social work. The policy background and its racist foundations in both countries are outlined. Despite geopolitical differences, there are unnerving parallels. Legislative changes and policy complexity signal increasingly punitive attitudes towards asylum seekers. The situation of children and families in the community is discussed in terms of the exclusion of asylum seekers from basic rights, and specific issues for separated children. Even more damaging is the incarceration of children and families in detention centres, and the emerging research is explored. In both countries there is widespread flouting of children's rights, and children also feature as pawns in ideological contests. However, they also act autonomously and illustrate an inclusive model of citizenship. The role of social workers in the statutory and voluntary sectors is considered, and the paper concludes with a discussion of the challenges for social work of avoiding collusion with repressive policies and actively promoting human rights.     

Social (dys)welfare within a hostile state

Beneath the wide differences between Australian Aborigines and British Gypsies lie similarities in their experiences of the state in general and the 'welfare' state in particular. Both groups' history of oppression includes persecution, assimilation and genocide, all variations on the theme of the destruction of a minority group's existence and culture. Their relationships with land which diverge from the dominant capitalist/colonialist norm are treated as a threat by the majority. Cultural genocide has taken the form of state control of children, leading Aborigines and Gypsies to fear state social work services. These services fail to understand, respect and respond to different cultural values, lifestyles and strengths, and the resulting 'dyswelfare' has had damaging impacts, including the devastation of Aboriginal family structures, and collusion with the failure to provide sites for Gypsies. Social work educators have a responsibility to consider these experiences and their implications. In any attempt by social work to promote rather than undermine these minorities' rights, the voice of the groups must be at the forefront of change, and organisational structures and priorities transformed at local and national levels. Theoretical tools to assist these changes are available from anti-oppressive and cross-cultural practice, and citizenship and human rights perspectives.     

Assimilation,control, mediation or advocacy? Social work dilemmas in providing anti‐oppressive services for Traveller children and families

This paper explores dilemmas facing social work in England in providing anti‐oppressive services for Travellers, particularly those who lack secure sites. A context is provided by outlining the conflict between Travellers and the majority society, and its expression in oppressive legislation, policy and practice. The implications of the corporate local authority role for relationships between Travellers and social services, and the specific history of Travellers and welfare, are also explored. The remainder of the paper draws on findings from a Nuffield‐funded study of policy and provision by English social services departments for Traveller children and families. Provision is undermined by mutually difficult relationships between Traveller communities and social services, and competing demands on social services in relation to professional values and support of Travellers’ rights, and their simultaneous contribution to local authority control of unauthorized camping. However, newer developments in some social services departments may be able to generate more positive relationships with Travellers, to promote their individual and cultural rights, and build partnerships with voluntary agencies which have a significant role in work with Travellers. The implications for social services departments wishing to develop their policies and practice with Traveller families are outlined.     

Human Rights and Gypsies and Travellers: An Exploration of the Application of a Human Rights Perspective to Social Work with a Minority Community in Britain

This paper explores the relationship between human rights socialwork and issues facing Gypsies and Travellers, and argues thatwork with these groups cannot be properly understood outsidea human rights framework. It outlines different generationsof rights, key current debates, and their significance for socialwork, building on other emancipatory frameworks for practiceincluding anti-oppressive practice, structural social work andcritical postmodernism. These perspectives find some expressionin social work ethical codes. For Gypsies and Travellers, humanrights violations occur in many socio-political contexts, causingcycles of exclusion and disadvantage. However, Gypsies and Travellersare increasingly mobilizing nationally and locally to promotetheir rights. The somewhat limited research on social work inthis area concurs in finding distance between the parties, lackof cultural understanding and engagement, and problematic practiceas well as some clear pointers for improvement. Policy developmentscontradictorily related to promoting rights and increasing disciplinarysurveillance are examined for their relevance to work with thisgroup. The paper explores the importance of an inclusive, participatoryand discursive approach to human rights practice, and examinesits significance for a paradigmatic shift linking social workwith the broader struggle for human rights of Gypsy Travellersand other groups.     

From neglect to partnership? Challenges for social services in promoting the welfare of Traveller children

This paper explores current and potential directions in social services' provision for Traveller children, drawing on a Nuffield‐funded study. Many Traveller communities experience harassment, racism and oppression, which create a structural ‘vulnerability’ for children. However, the paper focuses on services for children where structural and family vulnerability interact, and the extent of statutory neglect. After outlining the study, three models of provision are explored. Firstly, crisis response in relation to child protection and youth justice issues has dominated social services' interaction with Travellers, tending to reinforce existing difficulties in relationships between the two. Secondly, family support was the subject of initiatives beginning in the study areas (selected as more engaged with Traveller issues) to facilitate Travellers' access to services, and plan a more strategic engagement with Traveller communities. Thirdly, specialist work was represented both formally and informally in the study, and demonstrated considerable benefits. Lessons from these findings suggest priorities for developing work with Travellers: recognition of Travellers as a minority ethnic/cultural group; inclusion of Travellers in equality policy and practice; training for workers; changes to referral systems; development of community support services; specialist posts; support to, and outreach work in partnership with, voluntary agencies; interagency initiatives; and, crucially, consultation with Travellers. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.