School Provision for Children of Occupational Travellers - Report on the implementation of measures planned by the Council and the Ministers of Education 22 may 1989 - 89/C 153/01
Date: 1996-10-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: itinerant trade, performing arts, schooling, statistics, waterway transport

COMMISSION  OF THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  28.10.1996 
COM(96)  494  final 

School Provision for Children 
of Occupational Travellers 

Report on the implementation of measures  planned 
by the Council and the Ministers of Education 
22 may 1989 - 89/C 153/01 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Introduction 

CHAPTER 1 

General data defining the context 

1.1  Quantitative data regarding Occupational Travellers 

1.2 Socio-Economie Data 

1.3 School attendance of the children of Occupational Travellers 

CHAPTER 2 

Actions developing information and aid on behalf of parents 

CHAPTER 3 

Access to pre-school and primary education 

CHAPTER 4 

Secondary school education and vocational training 

CHAPTER 5 

Boarding school provisions 

CHAPTER 6 

3 

5 

16 

22 

26 

29 

33 

36 

Information, support and training provided for teachers, educators and heads of schools 

37 

CHAPTER 7 

Other actions taken 

CHAPTER 8 

Outcomes and directions of work 

Annex 

38 

39 

42 

1 

INTRODUCTION 

In 1984, a resolution (Doc. 1 - 1522/83)1 was adopted by the, European Parliament  in connection 
with the education of children whose parents have no fixed abode. 

As a consequence of this resolution, the Commission of tne European Communities completed a 
study with regard to the educational situation of children of bargee, circus and fairground families 
within the twelve Member States. 

The results and conclusions of this study are described in two reports. The first report (1987) 
covers the educational situation of bargee and circus children. 

The second report (1988) covsrs the educational situation of fairground children. 

At the Commission's  initiative the conclusions and rec mmendations included in these  reports 
were discussed with representatives of the Ministries of Education and experts/representatives  of 
the population groups concerned (including professional organisations)  of various  Member 
States. (The first report in March 1987 - The second report in May 1988). 

The results and recommendations  of the study carried out on behalf of the Commission; the 
guidelines emerging from the consultations with the Occupational Traveller representatives  and 
the discussions  between experts and representatives  of the Ministries of Education were noted. 

On 22 May 1989 2, the Council and the Ministers of Education meeting within the Council, 
adopted a resolution on school provision for children of Occupational Travellers. 

The aim of the Resolution is to develop a global and structural approach to help these children 
overcome the obstacles which hinder their access to schooling. 

The Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council v/ill make every effort to 
promote a set of measures concerning school provision for children  of Occupational Travellers. 
These measures will aim at : 

promoting innovatory initiatives; 

proposing and supporting positive and appropriate measures; 

inter-relating achievements; 

widely disseminating the lessons learned. 

Therefore the Resolution calls on the Member States to make every effort to: 

Improve information for travelling families; 

Improve access to nursery and primary school; 

1  OJN°  104, 16.4.1984, p. 144 

2  O J NcC  153, 21.6.1989, p.  1-2 

Take steps to make available full secondary education and appropriate vocational training; 

Encourage the provision of accommodation in boarding schools or in lodgings in 
appropriate cases; 

Encourage appropriate agencies to inform teachers during their initial and in-
service training of the specific circumstances and needs of Occupational 
Travellers' children; 

Promote support for teachers,  educators,  heads of schools and boarding schools 
and mobile teaching units. 

The Resolution proposes that Community support is useful here when it stimulates national 
initiatives and encourages the exchange of experiences and insights between all those 
concerned. 

This report is provided for in the Resolution adopted in May 1989.  Its first objective  is to present, 
as requested by the Ministers, the various stages required to put the Resolution into operation a 
few years after its adoption. 

In consultation with the representatives of the Member States in the Ad  Hoc group for inter-
cultural education, each Member State has prepared a national report.  Naturally, these  reports 
are an important source of information for the present  report. 

The objectives of this report are : 

to present a total view of the situation within the Union with regard to the 
implementation of the Resolution of May 1989, both at Member States and at 
Community  levei, 

to make a dynamic inventory and evaluation of achievements,  so as to examine 
experiences  and consolidate knowledge; 

to examine the development  of community added value across the exchanges of 
experience and information between the various partners involved in educational 
questions in the different  Member States; 

to examine the synergy created by the co-ordination of the activities developed, by 
the co-ordination with other community actions and by the links with the activities 
of other international institutions, 

This document  also has a prospective character: the analysis and evaluation should result in 
orientations and proposals for work for tbei short, medium and long term. 

This document  also has an informative objective, so that the partners concerned can be aware of 
the global situation and its development.  Its distribution will stimulate reflection, action and co 
operation in the areas identified. 

CHAPTER 1 

GENERAL DATA DEFINING THE CONTEXT 

1.1 

Quantitative data regarding the Occupational  Travellers 

1.1.1  Overview of the quantitative data available on the various sectors 

There are major difficulties in collecting data on the various groups of Occupational 
Travellers. It is always very difficult and sometimes impossible to get accurate figures and 
much of the data is estimated or incomplete. The populations' mobility does not facilitate 
the collection of reliable data. In some cases, there is a danger of multiple-counting and 
in others of not counting at all. In this report, the difficulties are compounded in that the 
data was collected retrospectively in the summer of 1993 for the period "as at the end of 
1991". The data should therefore be seen as an indicative snapshot. 

In comparison with the data collected as part of the C.E.C. study (1985-1988) it appears 
that : 

the number of bargee families in the Member States concerned (B, F, D, NL) has 
fallen in recent years (especially in F). 
the circus and fairground population has remained stable  (although Germany's 
reunification has caused the "D" figures to rise sharply). 

The field of operations in the fairs and circuses sector has grown over the past few years, 
and as a result, various circuses plant their tentposts for long (er) periods in several 
countries. These are often the middling-to-big circuses with a large number of artists and 
workers' families. 

Host countries often report the problem of not being able to know with any degree of 
accuracy just how many children / young adults of compulsory school age make up the 
retinue, which -of course- raises the question as to how their schooling can or should 
best be organised. 

Projects have also been extended to include Occupational Travellers other  than bargees, 
circus and fairground people, such as seasonal workers and  fishermen. 

TABLE 1: Occupational Travellers in BELGIUM 

BELGIUM 

TYPE of 
POPULATION 

Bargees 

Circus 

fairground 

others 

totals 

SOURCES: 

Bargees: 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

1289 

6 

1380 

1639 

4261 

74 

3500 

819 

10 

464(B/fl) 

2675 

1639 

7835 

1293 

National Institute for Social Insurance for the  Self-employed 
National Institute for Statistics 
Residential provision for the children of parents with no fixed abode 
Flemish berth side nursery classes 

Circus: 

Data from an unofficial census earned out in 1992 

Fairgrounds: 

Fairground Professional Associations 

REMARKS: 

1. 

2. 

The channels of information regarding bargees is very limited. Establishing the total 
number of bargees and their age range is based on estimates and/or not entirely reliable 
sources. 

Also, with regard to fairgrounds, the numbers are derived from estimates. The 
administrative channels do not allow for systematic data collection. As the fairground 
profession is not recognised as such, showmen are registered as tradesmen. 

3. 

The data with respect to the circus world are estimates given by reliable sources. 

TABLE 2: Occupational Travellers in GERMANY 

GERMANY 

TYPE of 
POPULATION 

Bargees 

Circus 

fairground 

others 

totals 

SOURCES: 

Bargees: 

Circus: 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 

1751 

230 

7500 

9481 

8761 

1526 

1200 

4000 

8761 

6726 

Statistiches  Bundesamt  (Arbeitsverband der Deutsche  Binnenschiffahrt) 
Bund der Selbstandigen  in der  Binnenschiffahrt 

Gesellschaft  de Circusfreunde 
Circuszeitung 
Circusseelsorge 

Fairground: 

Deutsche Schausteller Verband e.V. 
Schaustellerseelso-ge 

REMARKS: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Data collection cannot reach the levels of detail desired because official state and federal 
statistics  are not available. 

The question of ethnic groups was not raised with any authority or institution, school or 
institute nor in censuses or surveys. 

Since unification, the number of people involved with Occupational Travellers  has greatly 
increased. This is particularly true of the circus and fairground sectors. 

The number of children is particularly high in family circus. 

Concerning the number of fairground enterprises in the table, it should be mentioned that 
this is the number of enterprises which are members of a professional association. There 
are however a number of enterprises, (particularly the so-called "Komodiaten") which are 
not members of professional associations. 

TABLE 3: Occupational Travellers in FRANCE 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

NUMBER  OF 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 

3259 (?) 

1643 

FAIRGROUND 

15000 (7500 Trav.) 

2660 

140 

808 

4000 

15000 

67000 (15000 Trav.) 

17800 

86808 

3259 

1643 

La Caisse d'Allocations familiales de la navigation  intérieure 
Research organised by EFECOTwith the collaboration of the "Centre 
National de Formation des Personnels d'Inspection et de Direction" 
(Centre CONDORCET) (1992-1993) 

Enquiry organised by ANDAC (Association  Nationale pour le 
Développement des Arts du Cirque 

Syndicat National des Industriels  Forains (SNIF) 
Research (cf.  Bargees) 

FRANCE 

TYPE of 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

OTHERS 

TOTALS 

SOURCES 

Bargees : 

Circus : 

Fairground 

Others : 

Fédération des Commerçants  non Sédentaires 

TABLE 4: Occupational Travellers in LUXEMBOURG 

LUXEMBOURG 

TYPE OF 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

FAIRGROUND 

OTHERS 

TOTALS 

SOURCES : 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

50 

50 

50 

50 

160 

160 

. 

55 

55 

Fairground : 

The Showmen's Guild of Luxembourg  G.D. 

TABLE 5: Occupational Travellers in GREECE 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

110 

110 

600 

600 

300 

300 

GREECE 

TYPE OF 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

FAIRGROUND 

OTHERS 

TOTALS 

SOURCES : 

Fairground : 

The showmen's  Union of Greece 

TABLE 6: Occupational Travellers  in IRELAND 

IRELAND 

TYPE of 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

FAIRGROUND 

OTHERS 

TOTALS 

NUMBER  OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

92 

92 

173 

173 

SOURCES/REMARKS  : 

1. 

2. 

In 1991-92 a survey was carried out  on behalf of the Irish Showmen's Guild, with the 
assistance  of a research grant from the department of Education and with the 
collaboration  of EFECOT. 

A margin of  10% will adequately account for the difference  between the recorded and 
actual  number. 

TABLE 7: Occupational Travellers in ITALY 

ITALY 

TYPE OF 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

FAIRGROUND 

OTHERS 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

130 

7000 

650 

7000 

2902 

31594 

1109 

13400 

TOTALS 

7130 

7650 

34496 

145.09 

SOURCES/REMARKS  : 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

The number of enterprises (circus and fairground) are delivered by the ANESV 
(Associazione  Nationale Esercenti Spettacoli Viaggiantl) 

The numbers of families/total population/school age children are the result of a calculated 
estimation based upon the figures of an enquiry organised by the ANESV in collaboration 
with EFECOT (European Federation for the Education of Children of Occupational 
Travellers) 

The enquiry mentioned in number 2 concerning circus families produced, among others, 
the following results : 
number of respondents =116  (all travelling circus families who operate throughout Italy). 
These  116 families represent 286 children (198 of School age). 

The number of respondents to this enquiry (cf number 2) from the fairground sector was 
886 families. 

396 of these families operate throughout  Italy 
287 of these families travel in central Italy 
223 of these families travel in southern Italy 
The 886 families represent 2227 children of which  1696 are of school age. 

10 

TABLE 8: Occupational Travellers in THE  NETHERLANDS 

THE NETHERLANDS 

TYPE OF 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

FAIRGROUND 

OTHERS 

TOTALS 

SOURCES : 

Bargees : 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 

4560 

13 

1200 

4560 

46 

1200 

12000 

169 

2950 

5773 

5806 

15119 

2749 

43 

550 

3342 

CBS (Rapport statiestiek van de binnenvloot  1991) 
CAIS(1993) 
Study Vander Ploeg 1990) 
LSOVK (Landelijke Stichting Onderwijs Varefide  Kleuters) 

Fairground & Circus :  - Stichting  Rijdende School (SRS) 

TABLE 9: Occupational Travellers in UNITED KINGDOM 

U.K. 

TYPE of 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

FAIRGROUND 

OTHERS 

TOTALS 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOL AGE 
CHILDREN 

22 

158 

1116 

1296 

SOURCES/REMARKS  : 

1. 

In England and Wales a specific grant programme is established under Section 210 of 
the Education Reform Act  1988 to provide grants for additional educational provision for 
travellers including Occupational Travellers. The grant provision mainly for additional 
peripatetic teaching staff and educational welfare officers and helps improve attendance 
at school, access to the curriculum and the level of attainment for traveller children. This 
grant supports additional expenditure  : schools receive funding for traveller children on 
their rolls in the same way as for other children. 

11 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

For England and Wales, the data in the report was drawn from questionnaires completed 
by Local Education Authorities (LEA). Questionnaires were sent to all leas in England and 
to five LEAS in Wales currently receiving the Section 210 grant. In Northern Ireland 
relevant information was collated by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland 
(DEI) but few, if any, Occupational Travellers reside in this region. In Scotland data was 
gathered by the Scottish Travellers Education Programme (STEP). STEP sent every 
school a questionnaire requesting details regarding the Occupational Travellers and their 
schooling (academic year 1991-92) 

Table 9 presents an overview of the data collected from 58 LEAS in England, 2 from 
Wales and 12 from Scotland. There is no data for Northern Ireland as the number of 
Occupational Travellers is insignificant in Northern Ireland. 

In England 4 LEAS reported the presence of 22 bargee children in their area. (17 primary 
age and attending school/5 of secondary age and attending school). 

13 LEAS reported the presence in their area of a total of 158 circus children. 65 of these 
were of primary age and in school, 34 of primary age and not in school; 15 of secondary 
age and in school, 44 of secondary age and not in school. 

In England 31 LEAS reported the presence of 1116 fairground children in their area.(681 
primary age and in school, 102 primary age and not in school/253 of secondary age and 
in school, 75 of secondary age and not in school). 

For Scotland the number of fairground children is not recorded. The STEP enquiries 
identified a total of 70 families with children enrolled in school during the winter period. In 
1988 the Scottish section of the Showmen's guild of Great Britain had 609 members in 
their section. For 1993 this section estimated there were 500 show families based in 
Glasgow (travelling across Scotland and into the North of England). 

12 

TABLE 10: Occupational Travellers in SPAIN 

SPAIN 

TYPE OF 
POPULATION 

BARGEES 

CIRCUS 

FAIRGROUND 

OTHERS(=SOSO»*M WORK.) 

TOTALS 

3530 

SOURCES : 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

30 

3500 

300 

3500 

7000 

10800 

1200 

10000 

48157 

59357 

600 

3000 

20457 

24057 

Circus : 

Ministry of Education and Science (Madrid) 

Fairground : 

Showmen's Guilds Spain 

Seasonal Workers 

Ministries for Education and Science (Madrid & SeviHa) 
(Number of families/children involved in projects in Rioja and Andalucia) 

The quantitative data collected at national/regional level are incomplete and often estimated. In 
this regard see the sources and comments given for the various tables. The totals for the EU, 
both of separate groups and of the entire occupational travelling population, as presented in the 
following tables, can only give an approximate picture. 

The Member States P and DK are not mentioned in these overviews, because detailed quantitative 
data are not available. But there are also Occupational Travellers in these Member States. According 
to the Ministry for Education in Portugal, for instance, there are at least 1000 school age children (22 
circus children - 916 fairground children - 61 children of other Occupational Travellers). 

TABLE 11 : QUANTITATIVE DATA BARGEES in the EU 

Member States 
POPuTJVPfoN 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

NUMBER OF 

B 

D 

F 

NL 

UK 

1289 

1751 

2660 

4560 

1639 

1751 (?) 

808 

4560 

4261 

8761 

3259  (?) 

12000 

totals 

10260 

8758 

28281 

819(B-fl) 

.  1526 

1643 

2749 

22 

6759 

13 

TABLE 12: quantitative data circus population in the EU 

MEMBER STATES 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

B 

D 

E 

F 

G 

IRL. 

I 

L 

NL 

UK 

totals 

6 

230 

30 

140 

130 

13 

549 

74 

1200 

10 

1200 

600 

300 

4000 

(cf. Table Fairground) 

2902 

1109 

169 

43 

158 

3120 

4996 

4345 

650 

46 

TABLE 13: quantitative data Fairground population in the EU 

Member States 
POÊtftfrPfoN 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

FAMILIES 

TOTAL 
POPULATION 

SCHOOLAGE 
CHILDREN 

B 

.  D 

•  E 

F 

G 

IRL 

I 

L 

NL 

UK 

1380 

7500 

3500 

15000 

110 

92 

7000 

50 

1200 

? 

1380 

7500 

3500 

15000 

600 

92 

7000 

50 

1200 

? 

totals 

35832 

36322 

3500 

19000 

10000 

? 

1,100 

3i7 

31594 

160 

2950 

? 

69061 

464 

4000 

3000 

? 

300 

173 

13400 

55 

550 

1116 

23058 

14 

TABLE  14: TOTAL POPULATION OCCUPATIONAL TRAVELLERS in the  EU 

TYPE of POPULATION 

NUMBER OF 

ENTERPRISES 

TOTAL POPULATION 

Bargees 

Circus  Q 

fairground  (**) 

others  ( F / £)(***) 

totals 

10260 

549 

35832 

ru\ 

46641 

REMARKS  : 

(*) Circus population (method of calculation) : 

28281 

13560 

114361 

267880 

424082 

On the basis of the data available from three Member States (E,  I and NL) it is 
possible to calculate an average of the total population per enterprise relative to 
the number of enterprises. In these three member states there are 173 
enterprises with a total population of 4271.  Extrapolating to the rest of the EU, 549 
enterprises should therefore represent a population of approximately  13560. 

(**)  Fairground population (method of calculation) : 

8 Member States (B, D, E, G, IRL, I, and NL) represent 21942 school age children 
(=x) and 21322 families (=y-. x/y = 1.03  (number of school age children per 
family). If we take this number (1.03) as the average for the remaining  Member 
States (F) it is possible to estimate a total population for the fairground sector in 
the  EU (excluding the population of the UK, for which neither the number of 
enterprises  not the number of families is known. 

(***)  Other types of Occupational Travellers (method of calculation) : 

2 Member States (F, E) have data for other groups of Occupational Travellers 
(seasonal workers, itinerant traders). 
4 Member States do not have data for groups other than bargees, circuses and 
fairgrounds. 
The data available does not enable the calculation of accurate  numbers for the 
total population to be made. A calculated estimate is required to gain some idea 
of the total population. 
The average number of children per family per group on the basis of the data 
available is as follows : 
• 
• 
• 
• 
The average number of children per family for the groups mentioned above is 
1.62. Taking account of the number of families  recorded  (seasonal 
workers/itinerant traders) and taking account  of the estimated average number of 
children per family (1.62) the population can be estimated at a minimum 267,880. 

circus sector (E, I, NL) 1.76/family 
fairground sector (B, D, E, G, IRL, I, L, NL) 1.03/family 
bargees (B, D, F, NL) 0.76/family 
seasonal workers (E) 2.92/family 

15 

1.2. 

SOCIO-ECONOMIC  DATA 

1.2.1. 

Inland Navigation  (3) 

During  the  period  from  1979  to  1988  a  decrease  in the total  number  of  vessels  and  in 
tonnage of 20,3 % and 4,8  % respectively took place in the  European  Union. However in 
1988, over-capacity in the sector was estimated at 20% of the hold. The structural imbalance 
between supply and demand in inland waterway transport  continues unresolved. The factors 
which have led to this situation are, on the demand side: 

the slump in the production of coal, a product which has always been an important 
component in demand for waterway transport; 
the iron and steel crisis which led to a decrease in the transport of minerals inland 
and caused firms demanding those products to look for new locations near the major 
seaports where they have easier access to minerals imported from overseas; 
the  crisis  in the building sector, which brings with it a decrease in the transport of 
sand,  cement  and gravel, essential  products  in waterway traffic,  especially in the 
Rhine market where building materials account for 47 % of the total volume of traffic. 

On the supply side, the most important factors are: 

the essentially protectionist intervention of Member States in the waterway transport 
market; 
over-investment in transport equipment, in excess of real market requirements; 
tax facilities which encourage shipbuilding in certain countries; 
the  lack  of  versatility  of  small  flat  boats  and  inadequate  adaptation  to 
requirements of demand. 

the  new 

In April 1989 the Community adopted Regulation (CEE) n° 1101/89 of the Council, implementing a 
programme of reduction of the fleet on the basis of paid-up membership of the profession, which 
enabled the withdrawal of 8% of dry-cargo vessels and 13% of liquid-cargo vessels.  There is no doubt 
that these measures effectively contributed to a re-balancing of the market but the recent economic 
recession and the necessity to open the market have endangered this balance. 

In order to remedy this, the Commission adopted on 23 May 19954  a general package of proposals 
to the Council relating to the organisation of internal navigation and accompanying measures which 
aim to give à new impetus to river transport: a progressive liberalisation of covered river market up to 
1 January 2000 accompanied by measures aimed to reduce over capacity at a structural level ( down 
sizing during the period 1996-1998) and supporting investment in river ports. 

The  Commission also expressed a wish to promote combined transportP) The objectives 
are: 

to create the general framework for a combined transport system based on rail and 
road covering the whole Community and which will remove a sizeable tonnage from 
the congested community road network; 
to  integrate  into this  rail and road-  based system  inland waterways  and  maritime 
services. 

The inland waterway is a suitable alternative to road and rail transport, which is threatened 
with congestion on a certain number of European links, and the growing use of which can 
only cause increasingly greater disadvantages in the areas of the environment and transport 
costs. The European waterway network has the capacity to assimilate volumes of traffic far 

European Parliament/Directorate General for Research : Working Papers/The Future of Inland Waterway Transport 
in Europe, Luxembourg, 1993. 
Common position, adopted by the Council on 27 June 1996. 

16 

in excess of the existing volume, provided that investments are made in maintenance and 
suitable improvements. 

Another  important  advantage  of  inland  waterway  transport  as  regards  respect  for  the 
environment  is its safety for the  transport  of dangerous  materials.  Tankers  and vessels 
adapted for container traffic have special safety equipment. These vessels have twin hulls. 
Their  speed  is  always  constant  and  they  have  a  very  small  number  of  dangerous 
manoeuvres to execute. 

The firms involved in transportation along the European inland waterways are typical family 
businesses. These firms travel all the year round.  Some have fixed routes. The routes are 
determined principally by the type of boat and supply and demand. 

In relation to the limited number of firms involved, the businesses make a relatively important 
contribution to employment.  So, for example, in 1991 the 1776 independent firms in Belgium 
had 1584 employees.  (This data comes from the I.T.B. = Instituut voor het Transport Jangs 
de Binnenwateren - B -1991) 

The  businesses  concerned  have  organised  themselves  into  representative  professional 
organisations  in the various Member States  (B.D.F.NL).  Moreover,  at a  European level, 
these organisations are linked by representative umbrella organisations, such as : 

the Union Internationale pour la Navigation Fluviale (U.I.N.F.) for the ship owners, 
the Internationale Tankvaartvereniging (I.T.V.) and 
the Europese Schippersorganisatie (E.S.O.).  This last represents 90% of the family 
firms mentioned above and is at the same time a co-founder of EFECOT (European 
Federation for the Education of the Children of Occupational Travellers). 

1.2.2.  Circus world 

A circus is a family business. Very often the core of a circus business consists of one or 
more families who have worked in the circus environment for several generations. Next to 
the family core, the circus business can engage circus artists and/or associates (technicians, 
chauffeurs, etc....). Hiring or not is determined by the financial possibilities of the business. 
Evidently large circuses hire more artists and other collaborators. 

These  engagements  are  usually  meant  for  the  duration  of  one  tour.  The  length  of the 
engagements is, in fact, determined by the rate of renewal of show programmes. This leads 
to the fact that in circus businesses, in addition to the regular core, a rather variable group 
of associates travels along. 

Circus activities take place in two periods, namely the winter period (mostly from November 
to March) and the summer period. In most Member States circuses are trying to prolong the 
travelling  season. In some countries - mostly in southern Europe - the circuses travel the 
whole year round.. 

Circus businesses cover a huge number of kilometres during each summer season. 
The  frequency of movement is determined by the number of locations that will be visited 
during  a  tour,  as well  as  the  number  of  performances  that  will  be  given  in a  particular 
location. Of course, more performances can be given in larger cities. In smaller countries 

17 

(Belgium,  Denmark  and  the  Netherlands)  circuses  mostly  stay  only  one  or two  days  in  a 
particular location. 

Operating a circus is a tough business. Especially during a tour many activities succeed  each 
other at an rapid tempo : preparing the tour,  administration, travelling, erecting, dismantling, 
material and equipment maintenance, performances, tending to animals. Add to this the fact 
that  one also  has to provide for one's familyl  Furthermore, training  is necessary  and  new 
acts for the  forthcoming  season  must  be  studied  and  coached.  The  work  can  be  divided 
depending on the number of workers. It is a fact that men, women and children work together 
in the circus business. 

In some  Member  States  (e.g.  France)  it appears that the travel  pattern of circus families -
especially  in  small  circuses  -  has  changed  in  recent  years.  Seeing  that  they  operate  in 
smaller areas, they are leading a more and more sedentary life.  In these  Member States it 
also often happens that the children do not travel with the parents  but stay behind and  lodge 
with families (either relatives or friends). 

Most of the circus children however remain in the neighbourhood of their parent's.  Family and 
professional  life  are  one.  They  always  remain  in  a  very  busy  environment.  Lots  of 
impressions and experiences move very swiftly. Circus children are  affected  by the wearing 
character of circus life. They are subjected to the circus business as a whole from an  early 
age,  both artistically  (namely  participation  in a  modest way in the  programmes)  and  in the 
organisation  of, for instance, tending the animals, selling programmes,  etc. 

Many  circus  children  can  function  in  several  languages  from  an  early  age.  In  fact,  they 
always  move  in an  international  company.  Many of them  are  very  creative,  inventive  and 
flexible  in their total functioning. Their way of life enables them to find their own solutions to 
the problems they meet. 

When checking the extent to which the parties concerned  in the circus world are organized, 
it is necessary to make a distinction between organisations for circus management  and those 
for circus artists and other associated workers. 

There  is  strong  competition  between  the  various  circus  businesses.  This  is  probably  the 
reason  why,  in the  circus world,  there  is  little  talk  of well  functioning,  operational  master 
organisations. 

In only a few  countries are there  professional organisations for circus directors. 

From  the  Paret  report5  it also  appeared  that  artists  and  associate  workers  seldom join  a 
professional  organisation  (union). The  circus still plays an important  role in the cultural life 
of  the  citizens  of  the  European  Union.  In  1992,  at  the  request  of  ANDAC  (Association 
Nationale  pour le  Développement  des Arts du Cirque)  and  of the -  Direction du Theatre et 
des Spectacles - of the Ministry of Culture, research was carried out in connection with visits 
to the circus in France. From this investigation it appeared that  16% of French citizens  (=10 
million people)  visited a circus at least once a year.  (See table  15). 

Report from a study carried out by Pierre Paret in 1980 for the CEC "La situation économique et sociale 
des entreprises de cirque et des professionels du cirque dans les pays de la Communauté." 

18 

Table 15. Visits to the circus in France 

This  study was  based  on  100 people  from  all ages  who  went  to  the  circus  in the  last  12  months 

0 to  5 

Bto10 

11 to  14 

15 to 24 

25 to 34 

35 to 48 

50 to 64 

+ 65 

A ge 

Source : Département des études et de la prospective (F) 

In the  cultural  life  of the  French  citizens,  visits  to the  circus  are  in fourth  place. 
See Table  16. 

19 

TABLE 16 : Cultural excursions of the French 

Percentage of French people (15 and over) who have visited .. 

m in the last 12 months  fl  already, but not in the last 12 months  •  never | 

cinema 

historical monument 

public dance 

second-hand, furniture market 

temporary  paint/sculpture 
exhibition 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

80% 

90% 

100% 

Sources  : Département  des  Etudes  et de la Prospective (F) 

20 

1.2.3.  The fairground 

The vast majority of fairground businesses are family businesses. Among these businesses, 
there is naturally a diversity regarding offer (sales, amusement,  show,  ...), regarding size 
(e.g. dodgems, cakewalks, 8-tracks compared to a shooting gallery) and regarding travelling 
areas. 

Most families have been involved with the fairground world for many generations. Their pace 
of life is entirely determined by fairground events. In most countries, the season starts in 
March  and lasts  until November.  This period is the  intensive  travelling  season.  In some 
Member  States (the southern ones) showmen travel the whole year round.  Furthermore, 
more  and  more of them, in all the Member  States, are trying to find work for the winter 
period.  In the winter season for example, Christmas fairs are being organised in more and 
more countries. 

The number of movements is largely determined by the size of the business, but especially 
by the duration of the fairs. This duration varies greatly depending on whether one is dealing 
with a village fair or with in a small or larger city. 

In large cities the fairs often last for several weeks. Most of the fairground businesses travel 
from week to week, from one place to another. Most fairground families have to make many 
moves during the season but some businesses confine their movements to one area. Others 
(mainly the largest businesses) consider a wider range. 

Fairground activity also has an international dimension. Especially with fair businesses from 
Belgium/Netherlands,  France/Germany  and Great  Britain/Ireland.  The  number  of border-
crossing activities to and from is increasing. 

Making a fair is a labour intensive occupation. Especially in the larger Member States (F,D, 
GB and I) the big fairground businesses provide employment for quite a number of people. 
For purposes of illustration, some figures in Germany (1979)  : next to the 12.000 "family staff 
members", there were also 22.300 staff members employed by the fairground businesses. 
Only  the  largest  businesses  can  afford  to  hire  staff.  This  is why  some  businesses  hire 
temporary  staff  at  particular  periods  (e.g. when  dismantling  and when  setting  up).  New 
material purchases and its maintenance and rebuilding require substantial investments by 
the fairground operators in order to lend sufficient glamour to the business and keeping it up 
to date. 

For  instance,  the  total  investments  of  the  German  fairground  business  in  1987  were 
estimated at 55 million Dmark (= 32 million ECU}. 

As for the interest of the public in fairs, annual fairs, etc., there is a little quantitative data. 
For  instance,  in Germany,  170 million visitors were  recorded. Table  16  illustrates how 
popular the fair is in France! 

The fairground business within the EU amounts to an annual turnover of some 2.5 billion 
ECU. (Source = The European Showmen's Union). 

The large number of movements, together with erecting and dismantling the business again 
and again, force the fairground people to work very hard during the travelling season. The 
winter period (December, January, February) is a period in which the fairground families have 
to manage to tide themselves over. This time is used to improve and service materials and 
vehicles.  During this period the families sojourn in winter quarters, some in fixed abodes, 
others with their caravans and equipment  on reserved grounds. 

21 

Typical  of the fairground  family  is the fact that family  life  and  professional  life  run  together. 
In a fairground  business  husband  and wife  (as well  as  the  children)  work  together. 

In most  Member States the economic and social interests  of fairground  operators  are  looked 
after  by  professional  organisations.  In  some  countries,  these  professional  organisations 
represent the majority of the fairground  businesses.  In the  largest  Member  States  it is  often 
the  case 
in  master/national 
organisations.  Some  of  the  professional  organisations  have  been  operating  for  decades 
already.  They  have  their  own  management  and  advisors  and  in  some  countries  they  also 
have  their  own  publications  and journals. 

regional  professional  organisations  have  united 

that 

In some  Member States there are sociocultural,  educational  and  church  organisations  which 
care  for  the  needs  and wishes  of the fairground world. 

Next  to  the  national/regional  professional  organisations,  there  is  also  the  "European 
Showmen's  Union" (E.S.U.).  This  organisation  was  founded  in  1954. 

All the  Member  States  of the  European  Union  and the  E.F.T.A.  countries  are  represented. 

1.3. 

School  attendance  of the  children  of  Occupational  Travellers 

1.3.1  Preschool  education 

In the  Member  States  (B,F,NL)  where  there  are  berth  side  nursery  schools  (schools  close 
to the waterways),  preschool  bargee children attend school with increasing  regularity.  In  most 
Member  States  circus  and  fairground  children  receive  virtually  no  preschool  education. 

1.3.2  Primary  education 

In the  Member  States  concerned  (B,  F,NL,  D)  the  vast  majority  of  bargee  children  receive 
primary  education.  Extensive  use  is  made  of  residential  facilities  (standard  or  special).  In 
some  Member  States  (e.g.  D)  this  causes  parents  considerable  financial  problems  (see 
Chapter  5). 

In  various  Member  States  the  children  of  fairground  and  circus  families  attend  normal 
schools during the winter  period. Children  who  travel with  their  parents  during  the  travelling 
season go to school in the  vicinity  of the fair  or circus. As  a result  their  schooling  during  the 
travelling  season  is  very  irregular  and  they  attend  a  number  of  schools. 
In  some  Member 
States  there  are  mobile  schools  for  the  benefit  of  travelling  fairground  children  (NL)  and 
circus  children  (E,  NL,  1 Land of  D and  1 LEA  of  UK). At  the  time  for which  the  report  was 
seeking  data,  the  UK  had  one  mobile  circus  school  but  this  has  since  closed.  However 
Traveller  Education  Services,  funded  by  the  Section  210  grant,  are  active  in  meeting  the 
educational  needs  of children from circus families  in a variety of other ways.  In some  Member 
States  (e.g.  UK,  F)  the  education  of  travelling  children  is  supported  by  the  provision  of 
distance  learning  materials. 

In some  Member  States the fairground/circus  children  do  not travel with  their  parents  during 
the  travelling  season.  These  children  stay  in  residential  facilities  or  with  host  families 
(relatives). This  is particularly  true  of  Belgium, where  the  majority  of fairground  children  use 
residential facilities.  In other Member States  (e.g.  F,  NL,  I) few  to very  few  chose  residential 
facilities. 

It  must  be  mentioned  here  that  the  school  attendance  of  travelling  circus  children  is  very 
irregular.  This  is  mostly  because  circuses  (particularly  the  smaller  ones  which  make  up  the 

22 

great majority) often visit many locations during the travelling season and seldom stay more 
than a few days. 

There  are  particular  problems  with  the  education  of  children  from  circuses  which  travel 
internationally (the number of which is increasing).  The host country hardly ever has a clear 
idea of the number of children involved or of the way in which the education of these children 
is or could be organised.  The individual parents of the children concerned must mostly rely 
on  their  own  abilities  and  means  to  arrange  for  the  education  of  their  children.  Various 
Member States now suggest that this situation can only be solved on the basis of concrete 
measures, agreements  and co-operation at a European level. 

1.3.3.  Secondary  education 

The majority of bargee children in the Member States concerned appear to attend secondary 
education  regularly  (vocational training).  This  is mostly because  of the  use of  residential 
facilities. 

From the limited information available it appears that the secondary education of circus and 
fairground children is irregular to very irregular.  This is particularly true of travelling children 
(see  1.3.2.). Developing  adequate  and adapted models is still a major problem for various 
Member States. 

1.3.4.  Quantitative  data 

TABLE  17: BELGIUM 

Educational  arrangements 

BARGEE CHILDREN 

PRE SCHOOL EDUCATION (in 3 moorning classes: 2 in Flanders /1  in Wallonia) 

School year 1991-1992: 

School year 1992-1993: 

PRIMARY EDUCATION 

In boarding schools 

244 nursery children (Belgium) 

•_ 

147 nursery children (Flanders) 

535 children 

FAIRGROUND  CHILDREN 

Primary Education (School year  1992/93) 

30% of children attend the regular school system 

70% of children attend boarding schools 

23 

Table 18: FRANCE: Number of Children registered in some regions 

PRIMARY 

SECONDARY 

NOT ATTENDING  SCHOOL 

Académie de Créteil 

Académie  d'Orléans-Tours 

Académie de Versailles 

Académie d'Aix-Marseille 

1000 

600 

1693 

1021 

1020 

42 

36 

1640 

4099 

379 

Table  19 : IRELAND 

Educational arrangements  (Results  1991 /1992 Survey) 

N = 92 families /173  Children (Fairground and circus) 

NUMBER OF CHILDREN 

ARRANGEMENTS during TRAVELLING  SEASON 

40% 

38% 

19% 

3% 

Remain at winter quarters during school week to continue attendance at 
local school 

^ 

Commute daily to school from fairground 

Miss school entirely 

Attend boarding school (*) 

NUMBER  OF CHILDREN 

ARRANGEMENTS  during NON-TRAVELLING  SEASON 

97% 

3% 

Attend school near winter quarters 

Attendoboarding schools (*) 

(*)  At families' own expense 

AGE DISTRIBUTION CHILDREN 

Pre-school age 

Primary school age 

Post-primary school age 

TOTAL 

40 

99 

34 

173 

24 

Table 20: THE  NETHERLANDS 

BARGEE CHILDREN 

PRE-SCHOOL  EDUCATION 

500 nursery school children attend the berth side schools (7) or normal schools more or less regularly 

PRIMARY  EDUCATION 

1074 children make use of residential facilities 

SECONDARY  EDUCATION 

916 children make use of residential facilities 

CIRCUS CHILDREN 

during the non-travelling season the circus children attend the regular school system 

during the travelling season they attend the mobile school system. 

FAIRGROUND  CHILDREN 

- during the non-travelling season (October - March) the fairground children (primary level) attend the regular 
school system 

- during the travelling season they attend the mobile school system. When  possible the travelling fairground 
children attend the regular school system (25%) 

TABLE  21: 63 LEA's ( England 58 -Wales 5) 

UNITED  KINGDOM 

NUMBER  OF Children 

Occupational travellers 

TOTAL 

of  PRIMARY  age 

of  SECONDARY  age 

in school 

not in school 

in school 

not in school 

Bargees 

Circus 

Fairground 

totals 

22 

158 

1116 

1296 

17 

65 

681 

763 

34 

102 

136 

5 

15 

258 

278 

44 

75 

119 

25 

CHAPTER 2 

ACTIONS DEVELOPING INFORMATION AND AID ON BEHALF OF PARENTS 

1. 

2. 

The  various  national  reports  stress  the  fact  that  if  the  education  of  the  children  of 
Occupational  Travellers  is  ever  to  be  improved,  good  communication  and  proper  co 
operation with their parents is  sine qua non. Various Member States are investing heavily 
to meet this requirement. 

Much of this communication and co-operation "falls by the wayside" due to the very mobility 
o* its target groups. 

The preparation, execution and follow-up of initiatives now underway in this connection rely 
on co-operation with : 

the representatives of the target groups, 
the representative organisations of the target groups (the professional organisations, 
social organisations, pastoral organisations and the like), 
the individuals, organisations and institutes involved in one way or another with the 
target groups. 

Special attention is paid to : 

research into and/or handling of suitable information channels, 
creation of navigable channels of information, 
development of purposeful, concrete, clear information (as regards both form and 
content). 

3. 

These actions and initiatives are meant to : facilitate discussion with parents (3.1.),  organize 
information  campaigns for parents (3.2.), or else offer direct support to parents (3.3.). 

3.1. 

Discussion with parents : 

Discussions (at local, regional or national level) were held with the parents according to the 
phase  of a  pilot project  (preparation, start-up, follow-up,  evaluation),  e.g.  : what  specific 
expectations, experiences do the parents have ? 

Inquiries  were  prepared  or  organised  with  the  target  groups,  the  results  and 
conclusions were discussed; 
The creation, at regional and/or national level, of mechanisms of discussion. (Support 
groups,  discussion  committees,  and  networks  of  representatives  from 
the 
representative committees, etc). 

3.2. 

Information campaigns : 

Information brochures and folders are distributed to parents in various States on a regular 
basis 
these publications contain facts and figures regarding the educational facilities and initiatives 
available to their children (at regional and/or national level); publication of information (by the 
competent Ministries of Education and/or the representative organisations concerned) in the 
mass-circulation  Press  and/or  in the  special-interest  target  group  periodicals  (including 
EFECOT's "Newsline"). 

26 

3.3. 

Direct support for parents : 

The  development  of  monitoring  systems,  with  special  attention  to  easy  lines  of 
communication between the parents and schools,  and between the various  schools 
that take in Occupational Travellers' children; 
The development  of educational tools that  bargee  families  can use on board when 
unable to put their littie ones off at a nearby landside  school. This  means  e.g. work 
folders, brochures and audio cassettes which the parents can use to guide  and direct 
the  development  of  their  preschool  children.  Particular  emphasis  is  placed  on 
language  development  of preschool children. 
In some  Member  States  advisors/mobile  teachers  are provided. The  intention is to 
build up and sustain good relations with individual parents. Sometimes they are  made 
responsible  for  developing  good  contact  between  parents  and  the  educational 
provisions concerned. 

4. 

Various activities and initiatives as described  above  are  prepared  and executed with the co 
operation and support of the  EC. 

4.1. 

Concrete  results 

In various Member States, the professional organisation of the bargee  and fairground  sectors 
are set to play a  more active  role regarding the education of their members'  children : 

education and training are discussed during  meetings with the  partners concerned; 
education  and  training  are  now  subjects  of  interest  in  their  own  magazines  and 
publications; 
administrative  measures  have  been  taken  in  a  number  of  countries  to  ensure  a 
systematic follow-up of education/training and guarantee the  same  as an  item in their 
organisational  policy.  Some  of  the  professional  organisations  have  appointed  an 
executive  (at  national  and/or  regional  level)  to  handle  policy  on  education  and 
schooling matters. 

4.2. 

The channels through which individual parents can make their wishes  known concerning the 
education of their children are more clearly signposted. There  are  also  signs that  individual 
parents are making  more  and more use of these channels,  e.g. : 

parents.bring individual issues before their professional  organisations 
more  and  more  parents  in  cross-frontier  professional  activities  are  applying  for 
information on educational facilities in other countries; 
the EFECOT office in Brussels is regularly approached with questions from parents. 

4.3. 

In certain regions, individual parents- with the support of their professional organisation-  have 
joined  together  in  groups.  This  has  generated  regional  parents'  (fairground  families) 
associations.  The  purpose  of this  exercise  is to  pinpoint  -and  defend-  educational  needs 
more  efficiently. 

4.4. 

The representatives from the Ministries of Education concerned  found the consultations with 
parents,  professional associations,  pastoral and social workers to be extremely  useful and 
productive : 

the  specific  nature  of the sectors was  explained, 
parents' specific problems  and expectations were  also  made  clear 
the discussion  produced  concrete  new initiatives. 

27 

4.5. 

Leaflets  were  compiled  for the  parents  in German,  English,  French,  Italian,  Spanish  and 
Dutch. These  leaflets aim: 

to make the  parents aware of the great importance  of education  for their children; 
to give the  parents  a few  pointers  re. the question  "what  do we  do when we  go off 
and work for a while  in another country ?" 

Practical  experience  revealed  that these  leaflets  should  be  reworked  as  regards  form and 
content. As  an instrument,  the "European  leaflet" seems to answer  a  real need. 

4.6. 

The  setting-up  of  such  initiatives  for  circus  families  appears  extremely  difficult.  This  is 
essentially due to the absence of national/regional or European  professional  associations for 
this sector. 

5. 

Conclusions 

The  results  appear  to  show  that  there  is  a  real  need  for  initiatives  designed  to  involve 
parents,  both formally,  in everything concerning the education of their children. 

Both information campaigns for parents and the  setting  up of consultations  between  parents 
and  other concerned  parties seem  important  levers  in the  preparation  and  implementation 
of suitable educational facilities. 

Regarding  the  implementation  of  the  Resolution  of  May  '89,  the  initiatives  have  a  very 
important  role. 

* 

The initiatives contribute to meeting the short-  and medium- term  requirements  of improving 
the  educational  situation of the children of Occupational  Travellers. 

The  start  of  a  "structured  discussion"  between  professional  associations  and  policy 
representatives  is particularly  important for the  latter to  have  up-to-date  information  about 
the number of families, the  number of children, number/location  of the fairs,  itineraries, etc. 

Continuity is especially important in the learning process.  Regarding  travelling  children - who 
often end up in a  number of different schools - this continuity cannot  be provided  unless all 
concerned  enter the  discussion  and make the  necessary  efforts.  The  parents  themselves 
have  an  important  role to play here. 

It  is  equally  necessary  that  they  receive  concrete  assistance.  As  a  result  of  information 
campaigns for the parents and consultation meetings between  parents  and teaching  staff or, 
as the case may be, administrative representatives,  instruments  can  now be elaborated  and 
distributed  for  the  benefit  of  the  parents.  The  possibilities  include  lists  of  questions  and 
suggestions  that  parents  could put forward whenever  they take  up contact with a school. 

Because  of their mobility, the  parents can seldom,  if indeed  ever,  participate  in the  regular 
structuring of discussions between school and family. It will therefore  be  necessary to devise 
specific structures for such communication. 

28 

CHAPTER 3 

ACCESS TO PRE-SCHOOL AND PRIMARY  EDUCATION 

1. 

Pre-school  education 

It is precisely the first steps of the school career that confront the children of  Occupational 
Travellers with their worst  problems.  Particular attention is therefore to be paid to the pre 
school education of itinerant children. 

The initiatives  mentioned in the national reports (usually pilot project- or project-stage)  are 
designed to : 

lower the thresholds for parents (and children) for access to educational facilities, 
stimulate socialisation, 
promote integration in society (including regular school establishments), 
develop adequate pupil tracking systems, 
promote the acquisition of language skills. 

Various  Member States (B.F.NL)  have devised special projects for the children of bargee 
families. Given the itineraries of this target group (the length and breadth of the land as well 
as cross-frontier), these projects are especially careful to establish co-operation between the 
various  educational  facilities  concerned  (berth  side  classes  -  reception  centres)  at 
regional/national  and international  level (= networks at national and European level).  In B 
(fl)  two  reception  centres  (berth side  schools)  are  included  in the formal  structure  of the 
"Netwerk  voor  Onderwijs  aan Varende  Kleuters". There  is  an advisor  responsible  for  co 
ordination. 

There  is  intensive  co-operation  between  the  seven  berth  side  schools  and  two  mobile 
teachers in NL, the two berth side schools in B (Flanders), the berth side school in B (fr) and 
the reception centre in northern France (Conflans-Ste-Honorine) with the support of the EC. 
The  intention  is  to  develop  a  fully-functioning  European  network  for  the  education  of 
internationally travelling preschool children. 

In the framework of this European project an "International Educational Passport" has been 
developed.  By  means  of  this  passport  alHhose  concerned  can  keep  track  of  the  child. 
Furthermore  an educational  guide for parents  is being developed. This guide will  provide 
parents with useful information and guidelines. 

In the berth side schools in the various Member States particular attention is given to: 

the language development of bargee children 
sensory-motor  development 
the setting up of activities to encourage integration between bargee children and the 
children on shore. 

A  number  of  these  projects  have  reached  a  phase  where  considerable  experience  has 
already  been  gained among  both the teachers  and the parents  involved.  Some  Member 
States are considering institutionalising these teaching facilities (B/fl). 

29 

Regarding the young children of circus and fairground families, most  Member  States  are still 
trying to find their bearings : 

arranging discussions with the parents concerned, 
looking into needs  and requirements, 
setting up small-scale  (local)  pilot projects. 

In  the  Member  States  where  mobile  schools  are  provided  for  the  travelling  children  of 
fairground and circus families (E, F,  NL) pre-school children are also provided for during the 
travelling season. 

In  some  Member  States  (B/fl)  pilot  projects  are  being  set  up  in  consultation  with  the 
professional organisations  of the fairground  sector, which  are  intended to investigate  what 
method  of  provision  for  pre-school  children  can  best  be  achieved  during  the  travelling 
season. 

In some Member States  (e.g. D and L) provision for pre-school children during certain fairs 
is made  on the  initiative of certain organisations. 

Various  national  reports  mention  the  positive  effects  of  promotional  activities.  This  is 
expressed by the fact that such projects  lead to increased  participation  of travelling  nursery 
children in formal education. 

2. 

Primary  school  education 

2.1. 

Primary school education, bargee children: 

Regarding junior education, the national reports would  seem  to show that the great  majority 
of bargee children make  use of boarding school facilities  (cf.  Chapter  1+ 5). This  bears out 
the  conclusions  in  the  EC-study  (1985-1988).  This  chapter  shall  therefore  limit  itseif  to 
reporting on junior education  options for fairground  and circus children. 

2.2. 

Primary school education, fairground  and circus children: 

In the majority of Member States, most parents of circus and fairground  children opt for state 
primary schools  rather than for boarding schools. The  great  majority of the  children go on 
tour with their parents during the travelling season  (except  in a few  Member States). 

Certain  Member  States  have  had  a  range  of  supporting  measures  in  place  for  some 
considerable time, designed to upgrade the primary school education of these target groups. 

Furthermore a number of Member States (D, E, F, I, NL, UK) are co-operating  on an  in-depth 
study in connection with a pupil-monitoring  system adapted to travelling children  (alongside 
bargee,  circus  and fairground  children  also the  children  of  seasonal  workers  are  a  target 
group). It is the intention of this study to lay down the criteria for an adapted  pupil-monitoring 
system and compose a guide with recommendations  and guidelines  for its use, on the  basis 
of existing experience in the Member States  concerned  as well as the experience which will 
be acquired  in various  pilot studies. 

Within the framework of the European projects mentioned  above  several  Member  States  (D, 
NL, UK) are co-operating in the development of adapted  distance-learning  materials  and the 
exchange  of relevant  experiences  and insights. 

30 

On top of this, their current course is, as ever, adjusted in the light of experience (and guided 
by the implementation of Resolution 89/C 153/02) e.g. 

the development of suitable monitoring systems, 
the development of suitable materials for distance learning 

In the various Member States the education of travelling children is achieved by means of 
various educational models (or combinations of models). In this connection it must be stated 
that in several  Member States these models have been operating for a considerable time 
(NL, UK). Equally, in most  Member States these models have only come into operation in 
the recent past and therefore often have the character of pilot projects. 

In some Member States the education of fairground and circus children (NL, UK) or of circus 
children (D, E, F) is organised by means of mobile schools. The use of mobile educational 
units  by  local  Traveller  Education  Services  in  the  UK  must  be  seen  in  the  context  of 
Government  policy to promote the integration of travellers into ordinary schools and their 
access to the mainstream curriculum. In one Member State (NL) mini-mobile schools have 
recently been introduced in addition to the existing network of mobile schools. These mini-
mobile schools are intended to provide for travelling children in small fairs. 

Some Member States opt for a model in which the travelling children attend normal schools. 
In this  model  expressly  diverse  educational  measures  are  taken  to  support the schools 
concerned. 

In some  Member  States  supplementary  teachers  are  engaged,  scmetimes in significant 
numbers (D, UK). Here special attention is paid to smooth co-operation between the schools 
concerned, on the one hand those which the children attend during the winter and on the 
other hand the various schools which they attend during the travelling season. 

Several Member States  make systematic distance-learning material available for travelling 
children (F, UK). A number of Traveller Education Services in the UK have been involved in 
the provision of distance learning materials in order to help with continuity of schooling during 
the travelling season. The EC has funded project work within the UK to help carry forward 
and coordinate further developments in this field. 

Certain Member States (B.E.I) are preparing or executing projects with an eye to a tailored 
educational ensemble, made to the measure of the specific situation of these children in the 
travelling season. 

The reports show that special attention has been focussed on : 

meaningful co-operation between educational establishments during the Winter and 
Summer terms; 
the choice of teaching material for the travelling period; 
the development of suitable pupil tracking/tagging systems; 
the development of suitable materials for "correspondence" type education (e.g., the 
rudiments of reading and writing). 

Regarding  the  education  of  circus  and  fairground  children,  the  various  Member  States 
concerned  have  given  us  to  understand  that  they  have  paid  special  attention  to  the 
development of teacher networks at national and European level. 

31 

3. 

General Remark 

All national reports indicate that the many and various actions and projects of this chapter 
are developed in co-operation with (and support of) the  EC 

The following aspects of these actions and projects strike us as being the heart of the matter: 

arranging  discussions  with  the  target  groups  (spokes  people,  representative 
organisations and institutes...), 
developing suitable monitoring systems, 
developing suitable distance learning materials 

32 

CHAPTER 4 

SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING 

1. 

2. 

The  Member  States  concemed  (B.NL.F.D)  possess  specific  facilities  for  the  vocational 
training of bargee families. The bargee children can attend these  classes  in part-time  or full-
time  education.  Arrangements  have  further  been  made  for  such  schooling  to  lead  to  the 
award  of specific certificates. 

Certain  Member  States  have  developed  (or  have  prepared)  facilities  for  the  part-time 
vocational  training  of fairground  children.  These  facilities  are  (or were)  prepared  in close 
consultation with representatives from the fairground sector.  In addition to specific vocational 
skills,  particular attention was also paid to liberal studies and an  all-round education. 

Two  European  seminars,  at  Vilvoorde  (B)  and  Munsbach  (L)  were  organised  with  the 
cooperation  of the EC. 

The  aim of these  initiatives was to formulate  a well-founded  answer to the questions: 

Is there  a need for sound training  in the  European fairground  sector? 
If sound training is required, what  must this offer?  How can it be  organised? 

As a result of the above-mentioned  seminars, co-operation  between the Apeldoom College 
(NL) and the Centre for Part-time Vocational Secondary  Education -K.T.A.  Evere  (B) and the 
Centre for Part-time Vocational Secondary Education Overpelt/Maasmechelen (B) came  into 
existence. 

This  co-operation  lead  in  1993  to  ths  starting  of  two  projects  with  the  support  of  the 
Commission  of  the  European  Communities  within  the  framework  of  the  PETRA  II 
programme.  Moduies  are  made  subject  by subject for the various  parts of the  programme 
so that  each  student will  be able to work  at  his/her own tempo.  It is the aim of the  project 
In 
to  develop  a  package  of  modules,  so  that  the  various  areas  of  training  are  covered. 
addition to the general training more specialised  and technical training areas  are treated.  In 
choosing, preparing, developing and evaluating the curriculum the  partners concerned  have 
systematically  consulted the  professional organisations from the fairground  sector. 

In  1992  a  European  consultative  group  working  with  the  support  of  the  EC  was  set  up 
concerning training in the fairground  sector. Within the framework of this group the  present 
PETRA  projects were  prepared.  Gradually  more  participants from educational  institutions 
in various Member States  ( D,  UK : England & Scotland)  have come forward to be  involved 
in this consultation. 

The consultative group's intention is two-fold. On the one  hand the group intends to find out 
in which regions of the European  Union there  are still interested  partners, who would like to 
be  involved  in  future  projects  and  actions.  On  the  other  hand,  consultation  must  lead  to 
definition  of  the  priorities  on  the  grounds  of which  the  future  actions  and  projects  will  be 
developed. 

Aithough.the  discussions  are  not yet finalised  several working areas  are  already defined: 

33 

In  preparing  and  realising  all  the  actions  and  projects  there  must  be  systematic 
consultation  with  the  representatives  of  the  fairground  sector  (professional 
organisations); 
In future, the materials and experiences of the present  PETRA projects will have to 
be  distributed.  For  this,  special  attention  will  certainly  have  to  be  paid  to  the 
exchange of experiences with regard to the strategies adopted; 
With  respect  to  achieving  sound  training,  teachers  play  a  very  important  role. 
Therefore -also within the framework of European co-operation- special attention is 
paid to the training and guidance of teachers. 

Some themes which could be developed in possible actions and projects are: 

information regarding the social and professional life of the target  group 
methodological approach and educational strategy 
attitudes of teachers 
the  development  of  modules,  begun  in  the  present  PETRA  projects,  must  be 
continued in the future. 

Various modules must be developed to have available in the medium term an appropriate, 
efficient  and complete syllabus. The complete syllabus must also give attention to general 
education.  The syllabus, i.e. the modules, must offer the best opportunities for training to 
both girls and boys; for the partners concerned it is in no way the intention to determine a 
vocational profile. What is intended is to offer, through the actions and projects, an attractive 
and appropriate training package. 

3. 

Certain Member States  (B,D,F,I) have officially-recognised facilities for the training of circus 
artists. The institutions concemed have recently formed a network. This will provide the basis 
for co-ordination the length and breadth of Europe. In addition, co-operation and consultation 
with the circus sector will be developed. 

The concrete objectives are: 

to  bring the different  vocational training  courses  for circus  artists  in  Europe  into a 
relationship 
to  inform  and  to  cooperate  with  circus  families  on  the  subject  of  educational 
opportunities, both general and vocational, for their children 
to improve the quality of non professional education in circus skills in Europe. 

Vocational  education  in circus skills is recent. Only a few schools  specialise  in this area. 
There are great differences from one to the other,  now centred on performance, tradition or 
creation, each involved according to its history, influences, objectives. All have one thing in 
common:  the  training  of future  artists  specialising  in circus  artistry.  The  families  demand 
vocational  training  for  their  children,  because  the  traditional  method  of  transmitting 
knowledge  is  not  always  sufficient  to  offer  them  a secure  future. The  coordination  of the 
institutions  concerned  allows  travelling  parents  to  find  schools  in  accordance  with  their 
preferences. For 15 years the number of circus schools has grown throughout  Europe. This 
is due not only to the effort of enthusiastic circus families, but also to political will.  In spite of 
the intentions of certain schools or federations concemed to see a development  in the quality 
of  the  education  of  circus  children, the  tremendous  expansion  of  circus  schools  has  not 
always adhered to essential educational principles with respect to the children. 

4. 

In  some  Member  States  the  curriculum  offers  space  for  the  training  of  Occupational 
Travellers. Within the framework of the National Curriculum  (UK - England and Wales) there 
is  flexibility  for work  to  take  account  of  the  particular  needs  of  minority  groups  including 
Occupational  Travellers.  For example in literature, criteria for selecting books may include 

34 

their relevance to the culture of Travellers. Similarly, choices of curriculum teaching material 
in subjects such as Design, Technology, Art and Music may allow Occupational Travellers 
to do work which is relevant to their experience and background. In addition, there have been 
some  modest developments  in the fundamental education specifically aimed at adapting 
courses for young people from an Occupational Traveller  background,  such as specially 
designed courses in Food, Hygiene, Electronics and Safety. 

In Scotland, schools are developing a range of short modules which can be accumulated and 
exchanged for SCOTVEC qualifications. This approach offers the possibility of a mixture of 
school-based and site-based learning. 

5. 

In some Member States (UK,  F) adapted distance learning materials are available for the 
children of Occupational Travellers. 

35 

CHAPTER 5 

BOARDING SCHOOL PROVISIONS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Certain Member States have boarding establishments  in which the children of Occupational 
Travellers  can  stay  during  their  school  careers. These  boarding  facilities  are  sometimes 
responsible not only for accommodation but also for formal classroom instruction.  In other 
situations, accommodation and schooling are given separately. 

Certain Member States have specific boarding establishments for Occupational Travellers 
(so-called "homes for children of families without fixed abode") (B.F.NL). 

The governments of certain Member States have arrangements for financial aid for parents' 
expenses prior to ihe acceptance of their children in the boarding school.  The actual costs 
that the parents have to pay can vary considerably from one Member State to the next. Some 
parents  have to leave their professional sector (and thus have to seek other employment) 
to give their children the chance to receive formal education. This is the case in the Member 
States (e.g. D) where many Occupational Traveller  families cannct afford boarding school 
fees. 

In most Member States, (period of compulsory education) the boarding facilities are open to 
children/teenagers throughout their school careers. In two Member States there are boarding 
facilities for pre-school education. 

The great majority of bargee families opt for a boarding facility for their children (primary and 
secondary  level). In most  Member States, only a limited  number of fairground and circus 
families favour the boarding solution, (see also Chapter 1) 

Within the framework of a European project with the support of EC. those concerned from 
several Member States (B, F, D, NL, I) are working together on an investigation into boarding 
facilities available for the children of Occupational Travellers. 

36 

CHAPTER 6 

INFORMATION, SUPPORT AND TRAINING PROVIDED FOR TEACHERS, 
EDUCATORS AND HEADS OF SCHOOLS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Putting  educational  provision  for  Occupational  Travellers  into  operation  involves  the 
appointment of extra staff in various Member States. 

From the national reports it appears that special attention is paid to informing the teachers 
concemed about the specific situation, needs and requirements of Occupational Travellers. 

In some Member States measures are being prepared to instruct and guide the teachers by 
means of initial training and in service training with regard to the education of children from 
the various target groups of Occupational Travellers. 

The  networks,  both at national and at European levels, are an important support for the 
teachers  concerned.  By means  of these  networks,  materials,  experiences  and insights, 
among other things, can be exchanged. 
In recent years a number of exchanges have taken place between teachers working with the 
children of Occupational Travellers (preschool, primary and secondary education). Various 
Member States (B, D,  E,  F,  NL, UK) have taken part in these projects.  From the national 
reports of the Member States concerned, it is evident that these exchange projects were 
judged very positively. 

It <s on the basis of these exchange projects that the European network for the education of 
bailee nursery-school children can be developed (see Chapter 3). Within the framework of 
these  exchange  projects  two  European  seminars  were  also  organised  for  teachers  of 
travelling  circus  children  (Asten  (NL)  /  Madrid  (E)).  On  the  basis  of  the  results  and 
conclusions of these seminars the teachers concerned have developed a concrete plan of 
action.  Thus  a  European  network  for  teachers  of  travelling  circus  children  is  being 
constructed. In consultation and co-operation witn EFECOT (European Federation  for the 
Education of the Children of Occupational Travellers) an investigation into the education of 
Occupational Travellers was carried out by CONDORCET (Centre National de Formation des 
Personnels d'Inspection et de Direction) (F) in 1992/1993. This research (with the connected 
study trips to B, NL, I IK) was an integrated part of the training of the candidate-inspectors 
who carried out the research. 

All the initiatives mentioned in this paragraph (4) were undertaken with the support of the EC. 
prepared, co-ordinated and followed up by EFECOT. 

37 

CHAPTER 7 

OTHER ACTIONS TAKEN 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Certain  Member States have announced the placement of various discussion structures. 
These  discussion structures will be used in the preparation  and the  nurturing of various 
actions and projects regarding tfie education of Occupational Travellers. These discussion 
structures  include  the  parents,  teachers  and  representatives  of  the  professional 
organisations, and social and pastoral workers ( e.g. BERID in D). 

In some Member States (e.g. F) literacy projects have been organised for the parents. 

In various Member States the Ministry of Education has set up (or is setting up) a unit which 
is  responsible  for  policy  preparation,  coordination  and  monitoring  of  the  education  of 
Occupational Travellers. 

In  various  Member  States  initiatives  are  being  prepared  and/or  taken  to  systematically 
sensitise those concerned with regard to the education of Occupational Travellers. 

In  England  and  Wales,  Section  210  grant  support  is available  to  a  variety  of provisions 
outside the scope of the actual EC resolution. A number of LEA plans for Traveller education 
similarly reflect objectives extending beyond the scope of the EC resolution. 

In Scotland, there have been meetings between the Show Parents Association, EAs, the 
relevant HMI for traveller education and STEP (Scottish Traveller Education Project). Four 
Education Liaison officers have been appointed. As representatives of the Showmen's Guild 
they  visit  schools  to .raise  the  awareness  of  teachers  and  children  with  regard  to  the 
Showmen's Culture. STEP will providing training for these Education Liaison Officers. 

In the Netherlands the B.S.O.S. (Bestuuriijk Overieg van de Schippersscholen) has been set 
up.  This  consultative  body  consists  of  representatives  of  the  governors  of  the  schools 
concerned.  The  consultation  is  intended  to  make  a  contribution  to  policy  preparation. 
Moreover  in the  Netherlands  an  initiative  was  taken  in  1991  to  set  up a  network  of all 
teachers concemed with the education of bargee children. 

In 1992 the Russian State Circus toured the Netherlands with a score of Russian children 
and children of various other nationalities (including Dutch). This circus asked the Stichting 
Rijdende School to provide education for these children. 

A German circus with among others Russian artists also requested education. In addition, 
a German circus with German-speaking children and a stunt team with Dutch- and German-
speaking  children  also  made  this  request  in  1992/1993.  Co-operation  with  the 
Kulturministerie  in Nordrhein-Westfalen  (D) meant that the German-speaking pupils could 
tour the  Netherlands  with  usable  learning  material. The  education  of the  children  of the 
above-mentioned  Russian State  Circus  could continue  in Flanders  (1992)  thanks to co 
operation and consultation with the Department for Education of the Flemish Community in 
Belgium and with EFECOT. These facts as described in the Dutch report are not isolated 
phenomena. They are concrete illustrations of the problems already mentioned in chapter 
3. 

9. 

At  a  European  level an information and documentation centre is now being developed in 
connection with the education of Occupational Travellers. This is being done with the support 
of the EC. 

38 

CHAPTER 8 

OUTCOMES AND  RECOMMENDATIONS 

1. 

2. 

It is clearly apparent from the national reports that the various Member States are preparing 
and/or carrying out different  measures and initiatives in connection with the  implementation 
of  Resolution  89  /C  153  /01. Since  these  are  almost  always  very  new  measures  and 
initiatives,  measures  necessary  for the  further  development  of  this  involvement  must  be 
taken both at the national/regional and at the European level. Moreover the different  national 
reports have also made clear what the short-hand middle-term priorities are for future policy 
and future actions and projects  (see below). 

The very nature of the lifestyle of Occupational Travellers is such that they travel between 
different  countries  and their work  requires them to  move  across  Europe.  In view  of their 
economic activity, Occupational Travellers are covered by Community law. Consequently, 
their children have access to education under the same conditions  as nationals of the host 
Member State. 

Beyond the recognition of this fundamental right it is essential that the Member States of the 
European  Union cooperate  in this field in order to guarantee a decent education  for these 
children.  Furthermore Article  126 of the Treaty on European  Union states tha'  Community 
action contributing to the development of quality education aims at developing the exchange 
of information and experience on issues common to the education systems of the  Member 
States and promoting cooperation between educational establishments. 

3. 

The various actions and projects started up during recent years (some actions/projects  in a 
preliminary stage, others in the course of execution)  must be further implemented. 

In various Member States, the intention is to use the experiences  achieved in these actions 
and projects : 

to  develop  educational  facilities  taking  account  of  the  spécifie  situation  of 
Occupational Travellers, and/or 
taking the necessary measures to render regular educational establishments  capable 
of accommodating  the children of Occupational Travellers in a sane, sensible and, 
above all, flexible  manner. 

4. 

The aim of educational policy is to offer Occupational Travellers in all respects -despite their 
mobility - the same chances  as regards education as the sedentary  rest of the  population 
enjoys. 

5. 

In  many  Member  States,  secondary  school  attendance  remains  a  cause  of  particular 

'  concern. 

6. 

Special efforts  must be made to organise adapted vocational training for the sectors which 
meet the actual needs and requirements. In this respect special attention should be paid to: 

the preparation of the youngsters with respect to entering a profession 
'the possibilities for permanent education. 

The creation of vocational training should take place in consultation with representatives of 
the sectors concemed. 

39 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

Considering  the  international  character  and/or  the  increasing  cross-order  activities  in the 
sectors  concerned,  consultation  and co-operation with regard to preparation, creation  and 
monitoring  is necessary at a  European level. 

It is apparent  from the national reports that for the  education  of circus children -  especially 
children from circuses who travel internationally - concrete  agreements  and co-operation  are 
necessary.  In this connection the creation of a  pool of European teachers from the  Member 
States  should  oe  considered  by the  Member  States.  (Teachers  who  can  be  brought  in in 
connection with visits of circuses travelling  internationally). A  databank  of educational  and 
learning-materials should be developed to support these teachers. This task could  possibly 
be linked to the information and documentation centre which is already  being developed  (see 
Chapter 7). 

The  mobility  of  Occupational  Travellers  represents  a  social  challenge  of  importance  to 
education  in  generjl. 
It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  there  is  more  to  "Occupational 
Travellers" than just bargees, circus families, fairground families  or seasonal workers. Their 
specific problems spill over beyond their social situation.  The gradual gelling of Europe gives 
grounds  for  3xpecting  a  big increase  in the  toing  and  froing  of  men, women  and  children 
within the European Community.  The phenomenon of "mobility for professional  reasons" will 
continue  to  move  centre  stage.  Educational  policy  will  be  faced  with  the  problem  of 
accommodating  the specific needs and requirements  arising from this very mobility. 

The  transfrontier  toing and  froing  of persons  and  families  promotes  the  co-operation  and 
exchanges in the educational policies of various  regions  at national  level, and of the  various 
Member  States  concerned.  It also encourages  co-ordinated  actions on the  EC. level. 
Educational policy will keep an eye on the European horizon. This  involves  inter alia  allowing 
for  the  consequences  of  the  increasing  mobility  of  the  population  of  Europe  as  regards 
education.  This 
is  quite  particularly  the  case  as  regards  Occupational  Travellers. 
Conversation and co-operation across the border will be necessary to create  more  continuity 
in educational facilities within the reach of these  groups of the population. 

The  educational  innovations  and  actions  on  behalf  of the  Occupational  Traveller  are  also 
quite specifically intended to ensure quality control in general. The instruments that  education 
develops  for  use  in  a  quicksilver  environment  and  for  the  personal  and  professional 
autonomy  of Occupational Travellers  are innovatory  initiatives whose  development  can be 
transplanted  to other (broader)  target  groups -virtually  any other  group deemed  to  require 
educational  outreach. 

Actions and  projects  prepared  and organized with the  co-operation  and  support  of the  EC 
have  done  much  to spread  good  practice  and to  make  those  involved  in the  education  of 
travelling children at local level more aware of developments  elsewhere  in the  home  country 
and abroad. Those  actions and projects have  also helped to promote  innovatory  initiatives, 
ensuring  that  experiences  are  exchanged  and  achievements  interrelated,  and  widely 
disseminating  the  lessons  learned, such as : 

development  of distance  learning  materials, 
development  of adopted  monitoring systems, 
development  of materials  on behalf of parents). 

The development of networks with those responsible for the classroom  instruction  of children 
of the various  target  groups  (at  national  and  European  level)  must  still continue. 

40 

12. 

The reports of the Member States show that the preparation and execution of future actions 
and projects could be considered in the following areas: 

information, discussion and co-operation with the parents concerned, 
directives and advice as per local school policy, 
the  development  of  suitable  teaching  and  educational  material.  Distribution  and 
exchange of such materials at European level, 
the  development  of adapted  open and distance  learning  materials  (supported by 
information and communication technologies).  Distribution and exchange of such 
materials at European level. 
the  development  and  distribution  of  suitable  functional  monitoring  systems  at 
European level. 
testing the initial achievement level and the learning outcomes, 
initial  and  in-service  training  for  teachers  (with  special  reference  to,  interalia, 
"multilingualism" in the educational facilities). 

13. 

14. 

From the various national reports it is apparent that sound co-ordination with regard to the 
education  of  Occupational  Travellers  is  necessary  both  at  a  national/regional  and  at  a 
European level. 

It  is  desirable  that the  Member  States  should consider to  make  a thorough study of the 
various  tendencies  in the  aspirations  of  parents  and  children  in the  different  sectors of 
Occupational Travellers. This survey should give an accurate quantitative picture with regard 
to the motivation, options and results of those studying and with regard to the way in which 
education and actual teachers interact with these. 

15.  With regard to the development of actions and projects, the Member States have set their 
sights  on  co-operation  across  the whole  of  Europe.  With  regard  to  co-ordination  of the 
various actions and projects the important role of EFECOT -the European Federation for the 
Education of the Children of Occupational Travellers- must be emphasised. 

41 

ANNEX 

NATIONAL  REPORTS  ON THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF THE  RESOLUTION  OF 22  MAY  1989 
(89/C 153/01) 

Belgium (fl) 

(B) 
Marc Verlot, met Sven Sierend en Nele Goethals, Scolarisatie van kinderen uit de trekkende 
beroepsbevolking, Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap,Département Onderwijs, Januari 
1994,38  p. 

Belgium (fr) 

(B) 
Alain Reyniers, La scolarisation en Communauté française de Belgique des enfants de culture 
itinérante, Communauté française de Belgique, Scolarisation en milieu multicultural, October 
1993, 56 p. 

Germany 

(D) 
Martin Emundts, Die Schulische  Betreuung der Kinder von Binnenschiffem,  Circusangehôrigen 
und Schaustellem / der Kinder von Sinti und Roma und Fahrenden,Kultusministerium  Nordrhein-
Westfalen, 

16 p. 

Spain 

(E) 
Informe Sobre la Atencion  Educativa a la poblacion Itinérante, Ministerio de Educaciôn y Ciencia, 
10 p. 

France 

(F) 
La scolarisation  des enfants de parents exerçants des professions  itinérantes, Ministère de 
l'Education  Nationale, Direction des Ecoles, Direction des Lycées et Collèges, December 1993, 
25 p. 

Ireland 

(IRL) 
Report on the implementation of E.CResolution 89/C 153/01 on School provision for children of 
Occupational Travellers, October  1993, 10 p. 

Italy 

(I) 
Rapporte sulla scollarizazione  dei figli di esercenti spettacoli viaggianti e circensi, 
Associazione  Nazionale  Esercenti Spettacoli Viaggianti, October  1993, 3 p. 

(NL)  The  Netherlands 
Overzicht van voorzieningen  in Nederland voor het onderwijs aan kinderen van de trekkende 
bevolking, Kermisexploitanten, Circusmedewerkers  en Schippers, Ministerie van Onderwijs  en 
Wetenschappen,  December  1993, 30 p. + annexes 

(UK)  United  Kingdom 
School provision for Occupational Travellers in the UK Relevant to E.C.  Resolution 89/C  153/01, 
Department for Education,  10 p. 

42 

ISSN 0254-1475 

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ISBN 92-78-09926-0 

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