The Children’s Wellbeing Bill: A Threat to Gypsy and Traveller Home Education or a Call for Reform?

Romany campaigner Claire Rice looks at the government’s proposed changes to Elective Home Education in the new Children’s Wellbeing Bill – and considers the impact that the changes may have on Gypsy and Traveller families.

The introduction of the Children’s Wellbeing Bill has reignited debates about elective home education (EHE) and the role of local authorities in safeguarding children. While the government claims the Bill will protect children and ensure all receive a “suitable education”, for Gypsy and Traveller families, the proposed measures represent yet another potential threat to our way of life.

For centuries, our communities have turned to home education—not out of convenience but out of necessity. Yet, the Bill’s proposals risk undermining their traditions and imposing rigid structures on families already battling discrimination, systemic neglect, and cultural erasure. This article examines the potential impact of the Children’s Wellbeing Bill on Gypsy and Traveller families and highlights why home education is not just a choice but a lifeline for these often marginalised communities.

The Lifeline of Home Education

For Gypsy and Traveller families, home education has long been a vital means of preserving their identity and protecting their children. Unlike mainstream schooling, which often disregards their unique cultural values, home education offers the flexibility to combine academic learning with the passing down of practical skills and oral traditions.

But it is not just about culture. Schools have often proven to be hostile environments for Gypsy and Traveller children. A wealth of research shows that they face disproportionate levels of racism, bullying, and exclusion in the classroom. The 2019 Race Disparity Audit revealed that Gypsy and Traveller pupils had the worst educational outcomes of any ethnic group in the UK. Families often report that schools fail to provide a safe space, leaving them with little choice but to withdraw their children for their own wellbeing.

Moreover, formal schooling can conflict with the deeply held values of Gypsy and Traveller communities. Many parents fear the influence of non-Traveller cultures on their children, particularly in secondary school, where exposure to drugs, alcohol, and early sexualisation is a growing concern. To them, home education is not a rejection of learning but a rejection of a system that has repeatedly failed to understand or respect their needs.

The Children’s Wellbeing Bill: What’s at Stake?

The Children’s Wellbeing Bill introduces sweeping changes to how home education is regulated, including:

•    Mandatory Registration: Parents must register all home-educated children with their local authority.

•    Ongoing Monitoring: Families could be required to provide detailed evidence of their child’s educational progress.   

•    Access to Children: Local authorities may gain the right to visit homes and interview children without parental consent.

While these measures aim to ensure no child falls through the cracks, they risk targeting Gypsy and Traveller families disproportionately. Many families already mistrust state authorities due to decades of systemic discrimination and negative encounters with social services and education officials. A mandatory registration system, coupled with invasive monitoring, is likely to deepen this mistrust and drive families further from engagement with public services.

A Double-Edged Sword

For Gypsy and Traveller families, the Bill represents a double-edged sword. On one hand, the emphasis on safeguarding is critical. Cases of neglect, though rare in these communities, have tarnished perceptions of home education as a legitimate and enriching choice. However, by painting all home-educating families with the same brush, the Bill risks imposing a one-size-fits-all model that fails to account for cultural and practical differences.

Gypsy and Traveller families often face logistical challenges that mainstream policies ignore. Many live on sites with limited access to resources like libraries, internet, or even stable electricity. Financial constraints mean private tutors are often out of reach. For these families, education is not just about meeting academic standards but about equipping children with the skills to navigate their unique realities.

Rigid monitoring and academic-focused assessments could penalise families whose educational priorities do not align neatly with the national curriculum. A child learning the family trade or engaging in community-led projects may not produce the same evidence of progress as one sitting in a classroom. But does that make their education any less valid?

The Need for Reform, Not Restrictions

Instead of imposing further restrictions, the Children’s Wellbeing Bill should focus on empowering Gypsy and Traveller families to provide quality education in ways that align with their culture and values. Key reforms could include:

    1.    Culturally Sensitive Policies: Local authorities must develop guidelines that acknowledge and respect the unique needs of Gypsy and Traveller families, ensuring their cultural heritage is not undermined by bureaucratic demands.

    2.    Improved Resources: Funding mobile tutors, providing access to online learning platforms, and delivering culturally appropriate materials would go far in bridging the gap for families living on sites or in remote areas.

    3.    Collaborative Engagement: Building trust between Gypsy and Traveller families and local authorities is crucial. This could involve working with advocacy groups to create community-led education initiatives.

    4.    Flexibility in Assessment: Educational success should not be defined solely by national curriculum standards. Practical skills, cultural knowledge, and community contributions must also be recognised as valuable outcomes.

A Call to Action

The Children’s Wellbeing Bill, if implemented without considering the needs of marginalised groups, risks becoming yet another tool of exclusion. It is vital that policymakers engage with Gypsy and Traveller communities to understand their lived experiences and develop solutions that protect children without erasing cultural identity.

Gypsy and Traveller families are already navigating an education system stacked against them. Home education is not a loophole or an act of defiance; it is an act of survival - a way to protect their children from the systemic failures of mainstream schooling.

Advocates, policymakers and educators must come together to ensure that the Bill does not deepen the marginalisation of these communities. Instead, it must become a catalyst for equitable reform, respecting the diverse ways in which education can be delivered and valued.

Let us not use the Children’s Wellbeing Bill as a tool for punishment but as an opportunity for progress. Every child has the right to an education that respects their identity, culture and future. For Gypsy and Traveller families, this means protecting their right to home educate without fear or stigma. It is time to build bridges, not barriers.

By Claire Rice

(Stock photograph: Children ride out of a temporary stopping place near Appleby, Cumbria, 2024 (c) Eszter Halasi)