The study aimed to gain an understanding of the purpose of education as understood by first generation Slovak-Roma young people (YP), Luka & Peter and their parents Frank & Mary (pseudonyms used). The study surfaced experiences that facilitated a positive encounter in their UK school, as well as the experiences that acted as barriers to a positive encounter with the school.
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used as an approach to make sense of the experiences of the participants via in-depth interviews. YP conducted Photo-elicitation to guide their interview and parents had non-structured interviews. All interviews began with the same question: ‘Tell me about this place?’
The research results provide an understanding of education through the following five superordinate themes that emerged through the voice of the participants: basic human needs, cultural aspects of education, society equality and the future, learning and school staff practice. Theory and pertinent studies have provided further insight into these areas.
The implications for educational psychologists, schools and educational practitioners will firstly include creating an understanding through the voice and feelings of the participants in the study. This information will be delivered the form of training, conferences, and publications. This can impact on school and educational psychology practice to best support Slovak-Roma pupils in the city from classroom to structural levels through consultation between schools and educational psychologists. At national levels local authority consultation and sharing information could be conducted across cities. This study can also provide insight for working with other newly arriving communities that have entered the country and aid to the understanding of Roma/ migration. Recommendations for future research have additionally been presented which can provide further insight.
