6.3.7 National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy

6.3.7 National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy

The Inspectorate contributed to the work of the National Traveller Roma Inclusion Strategy

The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021, which was launched in June 2017, is a whole of government strategy aimed at improving the lives of the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland. As part of the strategy, all relevant Departments and agencies are to promote access to the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme for every child within the Traveller and Roma communities, including children with a disability. In addition, good practice initiatives to support parental engagement and children’s participation in education are to be implemented.

The Inspectorate contributed to the work of National Traveller Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) through participation on a number of steering groups at both local and national levels. Inspectors provided advisory support to clusters of primary and post-primary schools across four sites, and engaged with them in the development of their self-evaluation process to achieve improved learning outcomes for Traveller and Roma students. The Inspectorate has also engaged with Traveller groups and arranged for their involvement in the development of inspection models. A detailed examination of educational provision for Travellers will be a focus of the Inspectorate’s work in the 2022-2025 period.