A Minority within a Minority? Social Justice for Traveller and Roma Children in <scp>ECEC</scp>

Abstract

This article discusses recent policy developments in E urope regarding R oma and T raveller integration and E arly C hildhood P rovision. After a long history of oppression, R oma issues have recently become prominent on the EU policy agenda. The article discusses how these relate to developments in other areas of policy: the E uropean children's rights agenda and the recognition that early childhood education and care is a key policy tool to combat social exclusion. It gives background information on R oma and T ravellers in E urope and discusses the consequences of subsuming the various communities under one umbrella term: R oma. The EU C ommission is concerned with responses from M ember S tates to the E uropean F ramework for N ational R oma I ntegration S trategies. The article argues that in order to address R oma children's experience from a holistic perspective, social justice and equality need to be key elements of early childhood education and care provision and training. The E uropean policy developments that frame the article are examined from a local vantage point: the experiences of T raveller and R oma children in I reland and the I rish P reschool E ducation I nitiative for C hildren from M inority C ommunities.