Promoting equality in education for Travelling communities in Scotland
STEP is a national Knowledge, Exchange and Information centre, funded by Scottish Government’s Learning Directorate, Support for Learning Division.
It is located in the Institute for Education, Teaching and Leadership at The Moray House School of Education, The University of Edinburgh.
Our national aims:
- Promoting developments of innovative, diverse and flexible access to education for Travellers, particularly for those and others with interrupted learning
- Listening to and enabling Traveller families express their views about education and their children’s educational needs
- Enabling an informed respect for Travelling communities in Scotland through a greater awareness of their histories, cultures, traditions and contemporary circumstances.
- Encouraging positive approaches to diversity in education through supporting practitioners and families in challenging racism, harassment and bullying.
Our main activities:
- Providing information, advice and support for both families and professionals
- Promoting the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child through multi-agency support for Travelling families.
- Promoting and supporting the Traveller Education Network
- Monitoring and reviewing families’ access to education and additional support for learning
- Highlighting and responding to proposed legislation and policy initiatives over issues relating to Travelling families in Scotland
- Communicating with colleagues across Scotland, the UK and internationally through a range of Knowledge Exchange and Transfer activities.