Social work and the Roma community: elements to improve current practices

ABSTRACT

Although the Roma community is the largest ethnic minority in Europe, it continues to experience inequality and exclusion in all social areas. In social work, the literature identifies limitations in providing effective responses to the problems faced by this community. The identification and analysis of practices that have demonstrated a positive impact in overcoming the inequalities of the Roma community become crucial for improving the design and implementation of interventions in social work. This article identifies and analyses three practices related to social work that contribute to the improvement of the Roma community situation and discusses the elements that characterise each practice: the need to implement evidence-based actions, the role of solidarity and respect, and the recognition of the Roma identity. The results show that these three elements contribute to the impact of interventions in improving the lives of Roma people, thus generating useful recommendations to guide the interventions of social work professionals working with this community.

RESUMEN

Aunque la comunidad gitana es la minoría étnica más numerosa de Europa, continúa experimentando desigualdad y exclusión en todos los ámbitos sociales. En trabajo social, la literatura identifica limitaciones en dar respuestas efectivas a los problemas que enfrenta esta comunidad. La identificación y análisis de prácticas que han demostrado un impacto positivo en superar las desigualdades de la comunidad gitana se vuelve crucial para mejorar el diseño e implementación de las intervenciones en trabajo social. Este artículo identifica y analiza tres prácticas relacionadas con el trabajo social que contribuyen a la mejora de la situación de la comunidad gitana y discute los elementos que caracterizan cada práctica: la necesidad de implementar acciones basadas en evidencia, el rol de la solidaridad y el respeto, y el reconocimiento de la identidad gitana. Los resultados muestran que estos tres elementos contribuyen al impacto de las intervenciones en mejorar la vida de la población gitana, generando así recomendaciones para orientar las intervenciones de los y las profesionales del trabajo social que trabajan con esta comunidad.

KEYWORDS:

• Roma community
• social work
• social intervention
• successful actions

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• comunidad gitana
• trabajo social
• intervención social
• actuaciones de éxito

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diana Valero

Diana Valero is professor and researcher at the Department of Education of the Nebrija University, with a Ph.D. in Sociology of public and social policies. Her research includes social inclusion of minorities, successful actions of minority and Roma students, and solidarity networks.

Carmen Elboj

Carmen Elboj is Professor at the University of Zaragoza, in the Faculty of Edcuation. Her research includes cultural diversity, community participation of vulnerable groups and social impact.

Teresa Plaja

Teresa Plaja is social worker with a PhD in Sociology. Her research interests include successful actions in social work, communicative methodology in social work and the synergies between research and social work practices.

Ariadna Munté Pascual

Ariadna Munté Pascual is professor and researcher at the Social Work Training and Research Section of the University of Barcelona. She has 10 years of experience as social worker and her research interests include Roma community, primary care and Roma women.