About STEP

How can we help?

During this time of the Covid-19 outbreak STEP has changed its role. It will focus on support for families from mobile cultures. It will do this by providing up-to-date information and activities on this new site and it will co-ordinate digital learning support through TENET and local authority teachers.

Normally, STEP’s main role is to give help to teachers throughout Scotland who work with travelling communities including European Roma, Scottish Gypsy/Travellers, Irish Travellers and Scottish Showpeople. Our work has changed over recent years to reflect new ways of understanding the geographical movement of children and families in modern society and how education and other services can meet their needs.

STEP is a very small team and we operate as a Knowledge Exchange Centre within the Institute of Education, Teaching and Leadership, Moray House School of Education and Sport, at the University of Edinburgh. We work closely with a large network of teachers in Scottish local authorities (TENET) who have responsibility for the education of traveling families. Below there is a description of some of our main areas of our work.

TENET

We provide individual support and group networking and training sessions. We host a web resource for the network and a secure professional development and exchange forum.

Research

Working with local authorities we identify the most pressing issues that affect mobile family’s entitlements to education and we undertake empirical research with staff and communities throughout Scotland. Emerging knowledge is interpreted and shared through professional networks, web projects, social media, training and the production of resources.

Key areas of research include:

digital media to improve child poverty and family participation in education
digital and visual participatory processes in community development
pedagogic practice using iPads between home and school

Training

We offer national, regional and local training at the University of Edinburgh, in local authority centres and in schools. We work with staff to identify needs. Examples of recent sessions have included:

Additional Support for Learning policy, legislation and family entitlements
Developing an authority-wide strategy that meets local needs for Gypsy/Traveller education
The roles of nurture approaches to the inclusion of mobile pupils
Developing a teaching and learning framework for a digital curriculum
Family involvement in children’s learning at home and in school

Web and paper-based resource development

We work with staff in local authorities, travelling communities and professional colleagues to develop a wide range of different types of resources including:

learning materials that can be used by families at home – there are many on this site.
information and guides for teachers and other professionals