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Gypsy and Traveller Support Service

Aims

The Warwickshire’s Gypsy and Traveller Service principal aim is to assist the gypsy and travelling community to enjoy independent living while respecting their dignity and cultural background.

To support individuals and families with any issues that are affecting their life by exploring available options, respecting their choices and enabling them to make changes in their life.

To work closely with other agencies and organisations provide high quality support service.

To provide free and confidential service.

Gypsy and Traveller Support Service

The Gypsy and Traveller Support Service exist to support individuals with any issues that are affecting their lives. If we cannot provide support directly, we would always try to find an alternative organisation who would be able to offer appropriate support.

Support issues:

  • General information and discussing options;
  • Signposting you to the correct agencies you need;
  • Skills for life;
  • Assistance with writing letters;
  • Claiming benefits;
  • Maintaining tenancy;
  • Advocacy (someone to speak for you if you can't or do not feel comfortable to do this yourself);
  • Finding permanent sites/accommodation;
  • Help to get other services you need;
  • Developing social skills;
  • Support to find work or training;
  • Taking up activities;
  • Meeting new people making friends and keeping links with family;
  • Reducing isolation;
  • Developing life skills (such as advising you how to manage your money better e.g. budgeting skills, paying bills, reducing debt, completing forms, healthy eating, well-being, how to clean and look after your home, who to contact when things go wrong, personal safety).

Help for children of travelling/gypsy families

Support for traveller children is provided by the Intercultural-Curriculum Support Service (ICSS). ICSS provides four locally based teaching assistants who work in specific schools where they are needed. Please contact ICSS for more information.

Phone:

01788 562841

Email:

icssadmin@warwickshire.gov.uk

How can we support you

We will discuss with you the different ways of how you can change the issues that are affecting your life. It will be up to you then to choose what you would like to do. You can change your mind about what you want to do at any point and we will continue to support you for as long as you want and need our support.

How do you receive support

If you would like to receive support from our service you can call us directly or get someone else to call us on your behalf.

What will happen next

One of our support workers will arrange to meet you to discuss what support you need and what is the best way for us to support you.

Confidentiality

This is a confidential service we will not share information you tell us with any unauthorised person, unless you give us your permission or we are required to do so by law. Your support worker will explain to you the confidentiality policy in detail during the initial assessment session.

Complaints

If you are not happy about the service you receive or with the way your support worker have dealt with you. You can raise a complaint by contacting the Gypsy and Traveller Services by phone, letter or email. You can also raise a complaint directly with the Supporting People Team. Their contact details are:

Warwickshire Supporting People Team
Building 2
Saltisford Office Park
Ansell Way
Saltisford
Warwick
CV34 4SX

Email:

spteam@warwickshire.gov.uk

If you would like help with making a complaint you can contact our office and we will arrange for a member of staff to support you through the process.

We will keep all complaints confidential to be fair to everyone concerned and we will not treat anyone unfavourably as a result of their complaint.