As a corporate parent at KCC, former foster parent, and having had a long career in the justice system where care leavers are over represented I am very passionate about improving opportunities for those in care and those who are care experienced.  So I was thrilled to be able to curate and chair an event called How can Labour improve the care system for children and those who are care experienced? at Labour Party Conference, in my capacity as co-vice chair of FabianWomen’sNetwork.

To give some background, statistics show we need to do more for this group, not least because care leavers have often experienced abuse.

Thirty per cent of school leavers who were in care during 2021/22 were not in further or higher education, employment, or training nine months after leaving school, compared to 7 per cent of all school leavers. A quarter of prisoners self-identify as care-experienced. Many have had a transient journey through the care system, with 16 per cent  of care-experienced prisoners having had more than six different placements whilst in care. It is estimated that 17 per cent of young people leaving care who are eligible for aftercare support go on to make a homeless application.

In a country where most people are now living with parents until a much older age than in the past, and where the ‘bank of mum and dad’ is often the only way to get a house deposit, it is not surprising that those without parents to turn to are left behind.

We also know that those with experience of care face  from employers, landlords and other services providers.

The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, headed by Josh McCallister and published in May 2022, recommended that government should make care experience a protected characteristic and that new legislation should be passed which “broadens corporate parenting responsibilities across a wider set of public bodies and organisations”.  Since then Josh McCallister has been elected as an MP, and I hope very much we see this passed soon. The conference event included Janet Daby, a former children’s social worker and now Minister for Children and Families, on the panel.  Her knowledge and passion are great to see and emphasize just how great it is – after the merry-go-round of Tory ministers – to have ministers with knowledge of their brief.  I was also thrilled to see Keir Starmer announce that care leavers will (along with veterans) be prioritized for housing.

So, back to the panel – two amazing adults – Kerrie Portman – a disabled care experienced young woman, studying at Cambridge University – despite being in temporary accommodation and Jacob Dyke – also studying, and who formed Labour for Care Leavers.  Both inspirational people, who have beaten the odds and are thriving after growing up in care, but who both believe the system needs changing – particularly in relation to the profiteering in the children’s care system.  The passion from the audience was immeasurable too – many Labour councilors, charity workers and other care experienced people are working hard in this area too.

I need to reiterate that change does not all have to be national.  Already 103 councils in England and Scotland have already committed to treat care experience as an additional equality strand alongside the protected characteristics. This means that care leavers’ needs are taken into account in equality impact assessments made for future policies and policy changes.

Regrettably, when I brought a motion on behalf of Dartford Council’s Labour group on this topic, Tory councilors amended the motion so that it became meaningless, removing the pledge to treat care experience as a protected characteristic.  I bought it again and they voted it down again.

I’ll never stop fighting for better treatment for those who have been in children’s care services – and the Labour Party won’t either.