The role of inter-professional forums in transforming hostile practices toward Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities

This chapter considers ways of addressing hostile practices directed towards Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (“GRT”) people through collaborations between professionals, including academics. Although there is a plethora of “best practice” guides for services when working with GRT communities, there is little literature about how different professionals might work together beyond statutory processes. In Portsmouth, a forum was set up in 2020, bringing together pracitioners from education, health and social care, policing, higher education and the third sector, including individuals from GRT backgrounds. Through sharing knowledge and practices, the group members give advice to each other and collaborate to make improvements. The chapter outlines the formation and development of the forum and presents a focused case study of one initiative aimed at challenging discriminatory reporting in a local newspaper. Whilst interventions by forum members led to a period of increased engagement and observable changes in local media representations, these shifts were short-lived. The chapter concludes by reflecting on the complexities and limitations of attempts to “transform practice” through inter-professional collaboration. Such work is neither linear nor straightforward. Nonetheless, we find the forum extremely helpful in our work with GRT communities and discuss here the challenges and opportunities for such inter-professional dialogue.