Author: David Graham

Supported by the CLA, Dr Lisa Cherry OBE has offered to host a community gathering that offers a gentle, collectively held space for care‑experienced people to acknowledge and honour the grief that has surfaced since the publication of the national review into care leaver deaths. This space brings people together in a circle of solidarity that centres collective grief, recognising that our grief is not individual pathology but a communal response to systemic failure. Through ritual, conversation and quiet moments of holding, the group will create a sense of belonging in the midst of sorrow, affirming that care experienced people’s lives matter and that those who are no longer with… Read More

Care Leaver Deaths: Our Response Warning: The content of this article could be upsetting. We welcome the Review into Care Leaver Deaths and appreciate the considered and empathetic way the co-chairs undertook the review. It has brought into sharp focus a crisis that the sector has long understood but government has repeatedly failed to address. The statistics are shocking — but they should not surprise anyone who knows how the leaving care system works in reality. Headlines The headline figures that care leavers are three to four times more likely to die than the general population and have a suicide rate potentially five times higher than the general population is… Read More

From the moment I was born, there were Mr and Mrs Blank. That is genuinely what I have to call them because their names are redacted in my files. They were my first foster carers when I was a baby, through a private arrangement. From what little I have been able to piece together, they seemed to care deeply about me.I often wonder whether they are still alive. Whether they ever wondered what happened to the baby they once cared for. Whether somewhere in their house there might still be a photograph of me that I have never seen.Then I remember Angie. I think she was a lollipop lady. One… Read More

A Lifelong Guardianship Ceremony is a newly introduced UK initiative that allows care-experienced adults to publicly recognise and celebrate the people who have stood by them through life. Launched in July 2026 by the UK Government alongside the charity Home for Good and various faith groups, it is designed to bridge the gap for individuals who leave the care system without traditional family networks. You can read more here Also CLA Project Worker Terri Anne writes her own response to the initiative.

A blog from Terri Anne, Connected Project Worker Over the past year, I’ve supported many care-experienced parents navigating systems designed to protect children.But three cases have stayed with me, not because they were unusual, but because they revealed a pattern that is far too common.Three different families.Three different local authorities.Three children who needed support.Not suspicion. Not escalation. Just the right support.Two cases involved parents trying to secure appropriate SEN provision for their children. The third involved a mother navigating family court, trying to protect her child from a father who had been abusive to both of them (Radford & Hester, 2006). Despite repeated disclosures, he had residency.On the surface, very… Read More

The UK Information Commissioner, John Edwards, has launched an information hub with practical materials for adults with care experience who want to have information from their care records. The materials are informed by people who have grown up in care and set out clearly their rights and the process. In addition, there are robust materials for organisations and senior leaders in local authorities to ensure standards are met and significant compliance improvements are made. He has backed the call to data governance managers with a clear message that delays and pages of redactions made without explanation will be scrutinised by his Office and local authorities may risk breaching their obligations.… Read More

Drive Forward are carrying out research exploring care-experienced people’s views and experiences of apprenticeships. The project aims to understand: the barriers care-experienced people face in accessing apprenticeships, what could make apprenticeships more accessible and supportive, how employers and government could improve opportunities in the future. As part of this project, they are running a survey for care-experienced people aged 18 and above. They are keen to hear from both those who have done an apprenticeship and those who haven’t, as all experiences and views are valuable. The survey is open until 31 October 2025 and takes around 10–15 minutes to complete. Participants will also have the chance to enter a… Read More

As part of World Mental Health Day we are highlighting our research work with Cambridge University and others which shows that young people with social work involvement are not receiving the mental health support they need. Read our latest blog here.