“I wanted to improve outcomes for the people I was supporting”

In general the experiences that most Travellers have with statutory services such as the Police and Local Authorities is negative. This includes interactions with Social Workers, where the contact is usually due to child protection investigations. In these cases any assessments and decisions risk being informed by negative media coverage, due to lack of real knowledge about the communities or an evidence base to refer to.

Historically Traveller children have been systematically removed from their birth families in efforts to promote assimilation, so the fear does have grounding. This fear of Social Workers can be misinterpreted as non-cooperation, which further compounds the problems. My own mother was visited by social workers when my sister and I were born to check the caravan was ‘fit for human habitation’. For anyone who has visited a Gypsy caravan you will know you could eat your dinner off the floor, so this is a humiliating experience for most women.

For these reasons not many Travellers decide to become Social Workers, but there are a few of us trying to make changes from within the profession and contribute to improving practice not just for Travellers, but other marginalised people who professionals often make assumptions about.

I myself have experienced prejudice and stereotyping when on placement and working in Social Care. Where I have seen colleagues making assumptions regarding Travellers on their case-loads I have challenged them.