Romano Hangos Te Cerinel: Roma Voices for Change

Type Research report

By
Dr Sarah Shorrock, Dr Gareth Addidle, Diane Houldsworth, Natalie Balaz, Janik Dirda, Jenifer Kovacova and Rebecca Wilkins
Published on
20 January 2025

This report emerged from concerns within Bradford that safeguarding risks relating to children and young people from Eastern European communities were not being effectively identified and addressed at the earliest opportunity. Such concerns were underpinned by a high proportion of safeguarding referrals relating to Eastern European families, with child exploitation identified as a cause for concern.

Through conversations with safeguarding professionals, the category of ‘Eastern European’ was questioned, with many suspecting that individuals within this broad ethnicity would be Roma. Moreover, within Bradford, children and young people from an Eastern European/ Roma background are at an increased risk of being taken into care, raising questions around safeguarding practices. Therefore, the research aimed to better understand the extent to which child exploitation impacts Roma communities living in Bradford and how services can best support Roma children and families at risk of exploitation.

A partnership between Barnardo’s, Connecting Roma, and the University of Bradford was formed, with each organisation bringing different skills, knowledge and expertise. A multi-agency advisory board was also established to act as a critical friend and reflect upon how findings from the research could influence policy and practice within Bradford. Methodology data included in the report was collected through a series of interviews and focus groups with Roma young people and adults, educational professionals and safeguarding stakeholders; in total 82 voices were captured and thematically analysed.

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