Paper short abstract:

Scottish Gypsy Travellers are recognised as being one of Scotland's most marginalised communities. This paper seeks to identify continued discriminatory practices that this community experiences and the social, physical and psychological impact on this ethnic minority group.

Paper long abstract:

Scottish Gypsy Travellers are recognised as being one of Scotland's most marginalised communities.

The paper discusses continuing efforts taken to establish in law that this community are an ethnic minority group.

It will:

Identify continuing discriminatory practices in delivery of services and recent policies that are discriminatory

Identify future actions required and provide an example of 'building connections'

Main findings

Attitudes of our Scottish communities continue to cause major concerns about the treatment of this ethnic minority group

The issue about ethnicity is still unresolved

Our prejudices are impacting negatively on the mental health of this community

Conclusion

Continued discriminatory practices exist at all levels of policy and practice.

Impact

Impact has been negligible. This community continues to suffer from discriminatory and exclusionary policies from public bodies.