Nursery World - On the move

Children from travelling cultures can be put on the road to a more inclusive life with help and understanding from the early years sector, says Rosalyn Spencer The very nature of Traveller communities - their mobile or semi-mobile lifestyle - makes them an ethnic group that is often overlooked.

The very nature of Traveller communities - their mobile or semi-mobile lifestyle - makes them an ethnic group that is often overlooked.

The Commission for Racial Equality estimates that there are between 200,000 and 300,000 Roma/Gypsies and Irish Travellers currently living in the UK, but there are no official statistics on the size of the communities.

The various travelling groups include:

* Roma or Gypsies, the largest travelling group, have a long history in the UK, having first arrived around 500 years ago. They now include Gypsies of Scottish, Welsh and Irish heritage. Manchester University is currently carrying out a linguistics project aimed at preserving the endangered language of Romany, spoken by traditional English Gypsies.

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