In Serbia, as in the other countries of the Western Balkans and South-Eastern
Europe, the most disadvantaged communities belong to the Roma minority.
The present paper demonstrates the conditions of Roma preschool
children in Serbia: primarily their early education, but also habitation and
health in Roma settlements. The data highlight the under-representation
of Roma children in pre-primary education, although their growing up
in extremely deprived settlements would suggest a need for their earliest
possible inclusion in pre-primary services. The paper analyses the following
barriers to the access of Roma children to the system of pre-primary
education: the poverty of Roma families; discrimination and prejudice towards
Roma; the lack of intercultural provision; insufficient inter-sectorial
cooperation; the underdeveloped network of preschool institutions; and
the absence of kindergartens in Roma settlements. In addition, possible
ways to increase the coverage of Roma children in pre-primary education
are discussed. As a transitory solution, the paper proposes comprehensive
community-based programmes that could contribute to the education,
care, health and overall development of young Roma children before their
inclusion in desegregated programmes in preschool institutions.