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Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller...

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Gypsy, Traveer or Irish Traveer young people in focus
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Page 1: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people in focus

Page 2: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

Page 2

Introduction & methodology

‘My Health, Our Future’ is a Healthwatch Suffolk project exploring the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people (aged 11 - 19) attending schools and colleges across the county. To date, the project has recorded views from over 26,000 young people.

As part of this project, young people are asked about their views on a range of important topics including (amongst many others) self-harm, self-esteem, body image, stress, bullying and their experiences online.

The survey is generally delivered as part of a co-produced lesson plan on mental health and wellbeing in school or college and this helps to ensure a high rate of response.

In total, 11,950 students completed the survey in 2019 from 14 schools and four colleges across Suffolk.

‘My Health, Our Future’ is partly commissioned by the NHS to shape and inform developing models of providing services and support to children and young people across the county.

Additionally, schools and colleges receive a bespoke report about their students. This enables them to consider plans and to introduce initiatives targetted at improving the wellbeing of their students and addressing any issues they highlight within their responses.

For more information about how ‘My Health, Our Future’ is making a difference, and to download the full report about the 2019 survey, please visit our website.

Inside this report

‘My Health, Our Future’ 2019, is available

to download as a series of short reports that focus on subject areas young people explore as they complete the survey.

For the first time, we are including short reports about specific groups of young people. This particular report is focussed on those students who said they have a disability.

Some of the other short reports in theMy Health, Our Future 2019 series include:

• Wellbeing• Getting support• Mental health• Mental health education• Body image• Self-esteem• Online activity• Resilience• Sleep• Young carers• LGBTQ*+• Children in care

Find them on: www.healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk/mhof

Got a question?

You can reach us at any time. Call 01449 703949 or email [email protected].

Page 3: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

Page 3

Demographics

The survey asked the question ‘Please select which ethnicity best applies to you’, and ‘Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller’ was given as one of the available options.

In total, 79 young people (0.7%) selected this response.

79Gypsy, Traveller or

Irish Traveller young people responded to the

survey.

Geographic area Number

East Suffolk 31

West Suffolk 41

Waveney 7

Total 79

The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include:

• English Gypsies

• Irish Travellers

• European Roma Gypsies

Additional needs

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people were more likely to report having an additional need. 52% had an additional need compared to 32% of their peers. In particu-lar they were three times more likely to have a learning difficulty (22%) or other special educational needs (10%). 16% said that they need help with English.

Travellers Non-Travellers

I have a physical disability 9% 2%

I have a mental health difficulty 22% 13%

I am in care or have been 4% 2%

I am a carer 8% 4%

I cannot see very well or at all 8% 6%

I cannot hear very well or at all 6% 2%

I have speech difficulties 9% 3%

I have a learning disability 22% 7%

I need help with English 16% 7%

I have other special educational needs 10% 3%

Table: The percentage of Travellers who have additional needs compared with those students who do not identify as a Traveller.

Page 4: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

Page 4

Wellbeing

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people had lower average wellbeing scores than their non-traveller peers. This was true for both genders, particularly males.

Gender Traveller Non-Traveller

Male 43.5 46.7

Female 41.3 42.3

Overall 42.2 44.5

Mental health

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people were also more likely to report having experienced poor mental health in the last 12 months. 52% of Traveller males and 60% of traveller females had, compared to 34% and 55% respectively.

Seeking support

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people were more likely to say that they would go to their parents for support with their emotional wellbeing. 78% of travellers would, compared to 70% of their peers.

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people were less likely than their peers to say that they would go to their school/college for support. 21% would, compared to 31% of non-travellers.

Barriers to support

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people were more likely to say that nothing would stop them from seeking support. 34% said nothing would stop them, compared to 29% of non-travellers. They were also less likely to feel embarrassed about seeking help, and less likely to fear being judged by others.

Compared to their peers, they were more likely to say a barrier to seeking help would be that they wouldn’t be able to travel there alone (35% compared to 18% of their peers).

Table: The average wellbeing score of students who do or do not identify as being a Traveller and their gender.

52% of male and 60% of female Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller students say they have experienced poor mental health. They were more likely to say they would go to their parents for support with their mental health.

Page 5: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

Page 5

“I am nothing to everyone.”

“I got referred to mental health team after my suicide attempt. I’m now on anti-

depressants and having weekly support by a care worker.”

“I miss my dad but I know that I can’t see him without somebody being there and I have my

social worker there for me.”

“I am very close to both parents and they are always there for me.”

Boy (age 17)

Page 6: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

Page 6

Stress

What makes you feel stressed?

13% of Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people said that ‘nothing’ makes them feel stressed, compared to 11% of non-traveller young people. They were also less likely to feel stressed about homework and exams than their peers (33% compared to 52%).

What makes you feelstressed? Students from the Gypsy, Traveller or Irish

Traveller community were 19% less likely to feel stressed about their homework or exams.

Self-esteem

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people had lower average self-esteem scores than their peers. This was true for both males and females.

“I feel like I am not worth the time.”

Gender Traveller Non-Traveller

Male 17.1 18.1

Female 15.2 15.4

Table: The average self-esteem score of students who do or do not identify as being a Traveller and their gender.

Boy (age 14)

“I worry that i am a gypsy.”

Girl (age 13)

Page 7: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

Page 7

Self-harm

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people reported a higher rate of previous and current self-harming.

Have you ever self-harmed?

17% of Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller males said they had self-harmed, and 19% said they would rather not say. Fewer Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller females had self-harmed (16%), however a higher percentage said they would rather not say (32%).

Do you currently self-harm?

Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller young people reported a higher rate of current self-harming. 14% of males and 16% of females said they currently self-harm, compared to 3% of non-traveller males and 5% of non-traveller females.

Figure: The percentage of students from the Gypsy, Traveller or Irish Traveller community who say they have self-harmed.

Have you ever self-harmed?

Page 8: Gypsy, Trave er or Irish Trave er young people in focus€¦ · The Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities are distinct cultural entities, and include: • English Gypsies • Irish Travellers

This report has been produced to support the ongoing development and implementation of children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing support in Suffolk.

It will be publicly available on the Healthwatch Suffolk website. It will also be made available to Healthwatch England and bodies responsible for the commissioning, scrutiny or delivery of local health and care services. This may include Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Groups, the Suffolk Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee, the Suffolk Health and Wellbeing Board and Suffolk County Council.

We confirm that we are using the Healthwatch Trademark (which covers the logo and Healthwatch brand) when undertaking work on our statutory activities as covered by the licence agreement.

If you require this report in an alternative format please contact us on 01449 703949 or by email to [email protected]

© Copyright Healthwatch Suffolk 2020


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