Roma Health Report: data collection in the Member States of the European Union

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Year: 2016 and older

Roma Health Report: data collection in the Member States of the European Union

The purpose of this report is to provide an evidence-based review of literature on Roma health, covering 2008-2013 and the following indicators:

1. Mortality and life expectancy
2. Prevalence of major infectious diseases
3. Healthy life styles and related behaviours
4. Access and use of health services and prevention programmes
5. Prevalence of major chronic diseases
6. Health factors related to the role of women in the Roma community
7. Environmental and other socio-economic factors

The methodology used was based on two steps: (i) Desk Research based on the review of secondary data (a literature review); and (ii) Fieldwork collecting primary data through semi-structured interviews.

Executive function: skills for life and learning

Research on the developing brain shows us that early childhood experiences build the foundation for a skilled workforce, a responsible community, and a thriving economy. A new evidence base has identified a set of skills that are essential for school achievement, for the preparation and adaptability of the future workforce, and for avoiding a wide range of population health problems.

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Inclusiveness of Early Childhood Education and Care: Seven Case Studies across Europe Executive Summary

This report focuses on the experiences and perceptions of disadvantaged families (in particular, low-income families with and without a migration background) in the field of early childhood education and care. It presents case studies based on focus groups with parents and interviews with professionals working in the ECEC sector in seven cities in Europe. It distinguishes between (un)equal opportunities, (un)equal treatment and (un)equal outcomes in analysing different sources of inequalities and possibilities to address them. Unequal opportunities are defined as inequalities in exogenous conditions (e.g. family income) that affect the accessibility of ECEC services. Unequal treatment refers to endogenous barriers within the services, either at systems or at local implementation level. Strategies to combat inequalities can promote either more equal opportunities or more equal treatment. In some cases, ‘equal outcomes strategies’ reach beyond this distinction and indeed involve priority treatment of disadvantaged groups.

Inclusion from the start: guidelines on inclusive early childhood care and education for Roma children

The publication is the fruit of joint collaboration between the Council of Europe and UNESCO, which are committed to supporting the well-being and flourishing of Roma children and their right to education and development from birth. It is a concrete follow-up to the recommendations arising from an expert meeting on “Toward quality education for Roma children: transition from early childhood to primary education” organised in 2007 by the two bodies. It is hoped that the Guidelines will incite greater attention to, and above all, appropriate actions for, young Roma children by providing clear policy and programmatic pointers to conceiving an inclusive early childhood care and education system.

STEP – Family literacy project

The family literacy project (STEP 2015) investigated how family literacy initiatives might benefit mobile communities in Scotland through the design and implementation of three pilot programmes.

The pilot programmes ran in three different locations across Scotland with three groups of families: (1) Slovakian mothers in a Primary school in Glasgow, (2) Gypsy/Traveller families on a Traveller Person site in an educational outreach portacabin, Fife, and (3) with Gypsy/Travellers in a nursery/Primary school in the Highlands. The aim of the project was to identify approaches for programme delivery that would be relevant and meaningful to each specific community. For this reason, the structure and content of each pilot programme was designed in collaboration with participating families. Early consultation was achieved through a range of methods, such as informal social gatherings and activity sessions. The groups made suggestions that they felt would benefit their own situations and these were used to guide and structure the design of the activities.

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Rethinking the Role of Pedagogical Assistants: Establishing Cooperation between Roma Families and Schools in Serbia

The paper examines the risks and challenges related to the cooperation of pedagogical assistants (PAs) with Roma parents/families and their work with Roma pupils, and offers further insight into ways to overcome these risks and challenges.

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Review and reorientation of the “programme for active health protection of mothers and children” for greater health equity in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

This publication presents the process of and lessons learned from the review and reorientation of a program for active health protection of mothers and children for greater health equity, with an explicit but not exclusive focus on the Roma population, carried out in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Using the methodological guide on integrating equity into health strategies, programs and activities developed by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality of Spain, the analysis of selected services within the program shows that Roma and rural women benefit less than women from urban areas and with more education. Barriers and facilitating factors for using the services were related to their availability, accessibility and acceptability, contact with services and effectiveness of coverage.

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