Foreword

Central to the Catholic faith is the belief that all people are made in the image of God and should hence be treated with dignity and respect. The purpose of the Made in God’s Image series is to share guidance on how, as a Church, we can support particular minority communities and tackle the challenges that they face. This document is the second in this series. It is designed to be a resource for those working in the Catholic educational sector and tackles the question: ‘how can members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) community best be supported?’

It is important for readers to be aware that just as there are distinct groups within the GRT community, the issues they face are often varied and ever-changing. The research conducted by the Catholic Education Service for this project has included a consultation with educational professionals to find best-practice examples of ways in which schools can reach out to the GRT community, identify the challenges that they may face, and provide staff with the tools to support and advocate for them.

I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have contributed to the production of this resource with such enthusiasm, openness and drive to give a voice to this often misunderstood community. Special thanks should also be given to Molly Conrad who conducted interviews, undertook research and helped compose this document.

Finally, I would like to dedicate this resource to Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travellers, to Blessed Ceferino Jiménez Malla, the holy patron of the GRT community, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary who accompanies every Christian soul as they journey through their pilgrimage of life.

The Rt Rev Marcus Stock Bishop of Leeds Chairman of the Catholic Education Service