Supporting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities

Resources and information for to support social workers in challenging anti-GRT discrimination, including the Police Act 2022.

August 2022: Committee report: Provision of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers

The Senedd’s Local Government and Housing Committee has published its report on the Provision of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers and is calling for immediate action after it illustrated wide-ranging failures by the Welsh Government and local authorities in providing adequate sites for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

Welsh Government Consultation outcome: Race Equality Action Plan, August 2022

The Welsh Government has published a summary of the responses received to its consultation on the Race Equality Action Plan (REAP) – An Anti-racist Wales. The consultation received 330 responses from more than 1,992 individuals in total. The summary of responses report focuses on a detailed analysis of 255 out of the 330 responses that were submitted to the Welsh Government. 66 responses have been categorised as responses that either contained racist / offensive comments or focused on issues not related to the content of this consultation.

Good practice guidance: Understanding the Welfare Impact of the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Act

July 2022 - This Good Practice Guide, written by Dan Allen of Manchester Metropolitan University with the support of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Association, has been developed in order to support ethical and human rights-based welfare enquiries when the new criminal offence under the Police Act Part 4 is initiated.

Watch Supporting welfare enquiries in unauthorised encampments: Roundtable event on YouTube.

Supporting resources:

  • Welfare Enquiry Part A
  • Welfare Enquiry Part A (Welsh)
  • Welfare Enquiry Part B
  • Welfare Enquiry Part B (Welsh)

The good practice guidance is applicable to anyone undertaking these welfare enquiries, including social workers. The welfare enquiry is two-stage, as the best advice may be for families to leave an unauthorised encampment to prevent criminal sanctions such as arrest, removal of homes, fines and/or imprisonment. Part A therefore allows for key information to be given to families and for key information about the circumstances of a removal to be gathered.

Part B is initiated if a full welfare enquiry needs to be undertaken, because significant welfare concerns become apparent, through the application of Part 4 of the Police Act. To be absolutely clear, the vulnerability is inherent in the provisions found in Part 4 of the Police Act, and not about perceptions of Gypsy or Traveller parenting or cultural practices. This good practice guidance is strengths-based, family-focused, and pro-Gypsy and Traveller - we are working towards it becoming the consistent tool to be used by anyone outside of the Police who is involved in undertaking welfare enquiries under the Police Act.