I haven't read all of the thread but in the early questions there was some concern about traveller children not attending school and some inference that it isn't fair that traveller families are allowed to opt out. I wanted to clarify as I work in education.
As with all families we would want children to grow up valuing education and being offered equal opportunities. Many travelling families do not value education and we work to try and change this view.
But like all of us travellers can 'home educate' their child. It is a very simple process to complete the form and inform the head teacher. Current home education guidance, rightly or wrongly, isn't onerous with little checks on the quality of education provided ( think form filled and possibly one visit per year to ask about the 'education' of the child). None of us need to be 'educated' to be 'allowed' to home Ed our own child. We can all opt for this who ever we are, this isn't an option limited to travellers.
Often schools are critisised for sanctioning time off for traveller children too. Again this is not strictly the case. Traveller children can have absences authorized whilst travelling - whilst moving to the next place - but once there need to declare Home Ed or put their children back into school. If this doesn't happen then absences are unauthorized just the same as any family.
Some of the perceived unfairness is actually our lack of understanding!