Exploring Gypsy and Travellers’ Perceptions of Health and Social Care Careers: Barriers and Solutions to Recruitment, Training and Retention of Social Care Students

This report was commissioned by the Aimhigher South East Healthcare Strand, which is actively concerned with raising the aspirations and awareness of careers and progression routes into and within the Health and Social Care sectors. There is an accepted requirement to raise the numbers of young people going into these sectors through higher education routes and an imperative to diversify the workforce itself to reflect the population it serves. Young people from Gypsy & Traveller backgrounds are less likely to progress to non compulsory education and thus less likely to work in these sectors. The objective of this research has been to raise the profile of these issues, identify the barriers to progression that exist for these groups and to begin to examine ways in which barriers can be overcome. We are most grateful to Dr Greenfields for the energy and commitment she has shown in undertaking this work, and I hope that readers find the report illuminating and helpful when actively engaging with the young people involved