At Home for Good, we are committed to seeing every child and young person in care experience stability, support, and the opportunity to thrive. That’s why we are sharing an important petition launched by Fatima Whitbread MBE, Olympian, care-experienced individual, and long-standing advocate for children and young people.
Fatima’s petition calls on the UK Government to urgently reform the care system so that it better supports children and young people who find themselves in care through no fault of their own. This is not a petition from Home for Good, but we are pleased to stand with Fatima in amplifying her call for change and encouraging our network to consider signing and sharing it.
We recently had the privilege of attending Fatima’s One Voice Summit, where powerful stories and solutions were shared by care-experienced individuals, advocates, and professionals. The summit deepened our conviction that change is both necessary and possible—and we are proud to support this growing movement.
“Over 107 children enter the UK care system every single day – and too many are failed by it.
Children in care are frequently moved between placements, lose vital relationships, and suffer disrupted education. These challenges often lead to lower academic achievement, poor mental health, higher rates of criminalisation, and even homelessness …
Children in care did not choose their circumstances. They deserve the same love, safety, and opportunity as every other child.” – Fatima Whitbread
The petition lays out a bold vision for transformation, shaped by extensive conversations with organisations and experts across the sector. The petition calls on the UK Government to:
- Appoint a dedicated Minister for Children in Care and Care Leavers
- Ensure all children are supported in care until age 25
- Provide early intervention support to keep families safely together
- Create a National Foster Carer Register to improve safety and oversight
- Guarantee 30 hours of education and fast-tracked mental health care for all looked-after children
- Pledge that no care leaver will be homeless before age 25
- Reform benefits so care leavers can work without losing vital support
- Incentivise businesses to offer meaningful employment to care leavers
- Ensure trauma-informed training across the justice system
These proposals are grounded in lived experience and seek to address the deep inequality and instability that many young people in care face. As Fatima notes, within two years of leaving care, more than a third of young people are homeless – a stark reminder that the current system is not working as it should.
How You Can Help
We are encouraging our Home for Good community to read Fatima’s petition and consider adding their support. This is an opportunity to raise your voice on behalf of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our society.
By signing and sharing, you can help demonstrate to policymakers that these issues matter – and that as a society, we believe every child deserves safety, stability, and the chance to reach their full potential.
We’re grateful to Fatima for her tireless advocacy and for highlighting the urgent need for change. Let’s stand together and echo this powerful call for a better future for children in care.
