Improving Roma families’ experiences with children’s services

There is an increasing number of Roma children entering the care system in England.

From just 30 children in 2009, the number surged to approximately 600 by 2023 according to figures from the Department for Education. This sharp rise is more than a statistic, it reflects deeper, systemic issues that demand urgent attention.

For social workers, enhancing professional development, building trust and fostering positive outcomes for Roma families is crucial. A research project conducted between Law for Life, Lancaster University, and Anglia Ruskin University, has provided invaluable insights into the challenges faced by Roma communities when interacting with these services.

The research has been presented in a new open access report, Come to us in a peaceful way: Improving experiences of Roma families with children’s services in England. The report sheds light on the complex and often troubled relationship between Roma families and children’s services in England.

Olga Fuseini, a Roma activist and researcher who participated in the research, said:

The research combined insights from social care and legal professionals, as well as the analysis of care proceedings cases that involve Roma families and policies that affect Roma communities in the UK. However, the unique strength lies in its inclusion of Roma parents and community advocates, particularly parents who were involved with children’s services and those whose children have been removed from their care.

What did the research find?

The research notes that major contributing factors to poor interactions with children’s services include discrimination, economic hardship, and cultural misunderstandings. The Roma community's historical persecution in Europe, including forced sterilisations of Roma women and the removal of children from their families, has created a legacy of fear and mistrust of authorities, making it difficult for them to engage with child protection investigations.

Broader societal attitudes, budget constraints, loss of services, and conflicting demands on social workers’ time further contribute to Roma families’ negative experiences with children’s services. Finally, the impact of inequality and socio-economic circumstances often affect Roma parents' ability to meet expected standards of care.

The research found that while poverty is a significant challenge within Roma communities, it should not automatically be equated with parental neglect. Recognising this distinction is essential for social workers to avoid unintentionally alienating Roma families.

The research also highlighted that when social workers understand and respect this nuance, they can make a profound positive impact on families, providing support that is needed.

Barriers to effective engagement between Roma families and children’s services include a lack of cultural competence and low legal capability. In particular, communication challenges stand out as a major barrier to positive engagement – encompassing inadequate interpreting, use of professional jargon and professionals’ overreliance on written communication.

A concerning finding is the scarcity of kinship and foster care placements within Roma families and lack of support for foster parents looking after Roma children to enable them to support their Roma identity. This is not just about respecting cultural identity; it is about ensuring that Roma children in care remain connected to their roots, which is vital for their emotional and psychological well-being.

The lack of clear data on Roma families' involvement with children’s services also makes it difficult to address their specific needs effectively. The report highlights the inadequacies in data differentiation between Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities, which leads to a generalised approach that often overlooks the unique challenges faced by Roma families.

By advocating for better data collection methods, the report underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of Roma communities. This, in turn, can inform more targeted and effective policies and interventions.

Recommendations

The enabling factors for effective interaction include early help, community-based social work, relational trust building, cultural competency, community engagement and public legal education. 

To better understand the proportionality of Roma family involvement with children’s services, data collection needs to be more culturally sensitive and accurately disaggregated. Developing a Roma Inclusion Strategy is also crucial to address the pervasive issues of discrimination, poverty, and social exclusion faced by Roma communities.

Improved cultural competence within children’s services and providing training for social work professionals on Roma culture and social contexts is essential. This includes alertness to the impacts of intergenerational trauma that will foster more effective and empathetic service delivery.

Strengthening collaboration with Roma communities through public legal education can also empower Roma families and enhance their understanding and engagement with children’s services.

Empowering Roma families in these ways can help balance the power dynamics and ensure that their voices are heard and respected, as commented by Fuseini:

Come to us in a peaceful way is more than just a report; it’s a call to action for social workers to become strong bridges between Roma communities and the services they need.

By embracing these insights and recommendations, social workers can help rebuild trust, advocate for systemic change, and contribute to a more just and equitable system that truly serves all children and families.