Community Partnership Social Work with Gypsy Roma Traveller Communities. Michael Ridge, Community and Generic Social Worker with Travellers and Gypsies (statutory sector) since Dip in Social Work and MA in Social Work Irish Traveller Movement Britain, Management Board, Trustee, since 2002 Bridget McCarthy Irish Traveller and member of Irish Traveller Advisor Group Irish Traveller Movement Britain (ITMB) BASW Student Social Worker and NQSW Conference 30 th June 2012 London 1

Overview Power and Empowerment. Reflective Practice. Theory Informed Practice Two Community Social Work Projects Have I Got Gypsy Traveller Roma Racist “News For You” interactive media game. Housed and Site Traveller partnerships Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, New Traveller partnerships. Voluntary and Statutory sector partnerships Case Work and Community Social Work Media partnerships. Education partnerships. Accommodation partnerships. Social Work and Student Social Work partnerships. 2

Haringey Travelling Peoples Team 2 person Team, one social worker Travellers Liaison Officer. Manages two authorised Traveller sites in Haringey and any unauthorised encampments Vast majority of Travellers and Gypsies in Haringey and elsewhere have to live in housing because of the acute shortage of sites. Roma populations have increased in Haringey and they also live in housing and receive direct support in Haringey from a Roma Project Worker 3

Generic Social Work Co work cases according with relevant professionals and teams Ensure equality of access to services and culturally competent practice whilst maintaining and developing mental capital in Traveller communities GRT Family Group Conferences The Family Group Conference Tool Kit. Family Rights Group Extended families can be a source of mental capital in G R T communities. GRT communities can have a deep mistrust of mainstream social services as they fear their children may be removed. 4

Community social work “Specialist team earns trust of Travellers Haringey Council is using a community social work model that engages Traveller families before a crisis occurs” Rowena Davis reports 10 June 2010 Community Care. 4

Community Social Work Driving Theory Support Groups Welfare Rights Drop in Accommodation Needs Assessments. Gypsy Traveller Child Poverty Needs Assessments. Traveller Gypsy Roma Joint Service and ITMB interagency forum meetings. Supporting GRT Evidence Based Practice Targeted evidence based Traveller awareness

Community Social Work Partnership work with Traveller and Gypsy mental health professionals Partnership work with TRG communities the voluntary sector and other professionals e.g. possible mental heath video Community social work theory G RT Youth Work G R T History Month Two G R T Community Social Work Projects:

‘Bejesus, women. We coud’ve been burgled. The postman’s left all the giro cheques stickin’ of the box and you forgot to cancel the Guinness!’

“ I see a joyful family reunion brawl”

Conclusions Community engagement, Capacity building, Social Work and social action, Social Work resilience. Community resilience. Power and Empowerment. Mental Capital. Social Work training. Evidence based Practice and Social Work research. Anti racist Social Work Increase partnership working between Gypsy, Traveller, Roma and New Traveller communities whilst respecting Equality and Diversity issues and community strengths.

Conclusions ctd. Increase statutory voluntary sector partnerships and multidisciplinary working especially around accommodation, education, poverty, child poverty, health and mental health. Partnerships could be developed with sections of the media to address intense and complex GRT media racisms Partnership approaches could be harnessed to try to counteract the impact of funding restrictions. What can BASW do to improve social work practice with GRT communities? Presentation feedback sheets