Gypsy, Roma & Traveller families — equal access to the family justice system
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-28
The starting point
Family law applies to GRT (Gypsy, Roma, Traveller) families exactly as to everyone else — same courts, same welfare checklist, same rights. What differs is access: literacy, digital exclusion, site eviction pressures, cultural misunderstandings and historic distrust of officialdom mean GRT families are under-served. This page is about closing that gap.
Practical access issues (and the fixes)
- Documents: many GRT families have no fixed address records, formal schooling paperwork or passports. Courts and Cafcass can work with what exists — explain the situation honestly; alternative evidence (community letters, health records) is accepted
- Digital applications: the online C100 portal is hard without a permanent address or email. Paper applications are always allowed — ask the court counter for the C100 form
- Literacy/dyslexia: Support Through Court volunteers and Citizens Advice can read forms aloud and help fill them in (see our STC and CA pages). You can also ask the court for reasonable adjustments
- Site evictions & children: an eviction is not automatically a welfare issue — but if children's schooling/health is disrupted, it becomes relevant to arrangements. The council's duties to homeless families apply (see our housing page)
Cultural points the court should understand
- Extended family care is central in many GRT communities — kinship arrangements (see our Kinship page) may be the natural solution rather than outside carers
- Marriage customs differ; early/arranged marriage concerns are handled under specific law (see our forced marriage page) — while customary adult marriages are recognised as relationships, not as legal marriages
- Discrimination (schools, services) can be evidence of emotional harm to a child
Where to get help
- Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) — the national GRT charity: advice on site rights, health, schooling and discrimination (gypsy-traveller.org)
- ACERT and local Traveller education services
- Citizens Advice (see our pages) and legal aid for children cases
Official links
- FFT: https://www.gypsy-traveller.org
- Eviction rights: https://www.gov.uk/enforced-eviction-of-travellers
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with FFT or gov.uk.
Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.