The PATHFINDER study explored the informal caring experiences of women from Somali and Gypsy and Traveller communities, and the barriers they faced when accessing health and social care support.
Funded by NIHR ARC East Midlands, the study combined narrative interviews with co-production workshops to develop practical guidance for services.
The resources below are free to download and have been developed for health and social care professionals, commissioners, service providers and community organisations.
Research findings and recommendations
The full report presents detailed findings from 12 narrative interviews with women carers and two multi-agency co-production workshops, covering shared themes, community-specific experiences and recommendations for improving engagement with services. An executive summary is also available.
Hear from carers directly
Listen to Somali and Gypsy and Traveller women describe their experiences of caring for family members and navigating health and social care services in their own words.
Key considerations for engaging with ethnic minority carers
Two practical guidance documents developed from the study's co-production workshops set out what services should consider when working with Somali carers and Gypsy and Traveller carers, covering areas such as trust-building, faith and gender-sensitive care, privacy, and the role of community organisations.
Blog: The circle of life
Published for Carers Week 2026, The circle of life: from being cared for to becoming a carer explores why many carers in these communities do not identify as carers at all, and what this means for the services designed to support them.