To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the work of the Taskforce on Traveller Education.

The Department’s Traveller Child in Education Action Framework was published in 2013, in response to a 2011 report by the Taskforce on Traveller Education, which had been established to assist the Department to develop an action plan on Traveller education. The existing framework outlines commitments to Traveller children and the steps to be taken to ensure that every traveller child has full access to education and outlines the actions in place in order: ensure information is provided to Traveller families detailing how to avail of all educational provisions and opportunities; help improve and maintain school attendance for Traveller children; ensure Traveller parents are aware of the role they play in their children getting the required level of education they deserve; help schools develop an inclusive and welcoming environment for Traveller children; and to provide education on Traveller culture in schools to eradicate the potential for prejudice and hate crimes.

The Department is undertaking a review of the Traveller in Education Framework. The review is considering the degree to which the Framework has achieved its stated aims and objectives, with a view to informing the exploration of options for improvement and identifying emerging or new needs that need to be addressed within a revised Action Framework.

A Stakeholder Engagement Group was established by the Department to support the review. The Group is comprised of a range of interested parties and key stakeholders, including Travellers with lived experience. The role of the Group is to act as an advisory forum to provide advice and expertise on Traveller education to Department in support of the development of any future proposals for change arising from the review. As such, the role of the Group is: to provide advice on the approach to the wider co-design process; to share best practice / relevant research; to support analysis of data / trends / evidence relevant to the review; to review and advise on proposals emerging from the review; to monitor progress against timescales.

The Stakeholder Group has helped to support the review of the commitments from the existing Traveller in Education Framework, as well as providing their experience and expertise to help inform the development of the evidence base for the review, in order to ensure that the key barriers and challenges for Traveller pupils are fully captured, and potential actions identified. It is now planned to undertake school surveys and focus groups/discussions with Traveller pupils and their families to further inform the underpinning evidence base for the review.