An investigation by the Independent newspaper has show that more than a third of Local Authorities have scrapped or slashed funding for Traveller education.
127 out of the 152 local authorities in England provided data showing that 24 planned to scrap their Traveller education support team, while a further 34 had cut staffing levels. 20 councils refused to reveal projected staffing levels as they were “under review”, “undecided”, “unknown” or being “restructured”.
Joint president of the National Association of Teachers of Travellers Linda Lewins commented: “I’m gobsmacked by the speed at which it has happened, I’m watching 20 years of hard work being pulled apart.”