We have been working with care leavers to create a new Identity Project focused on how accessing their files impacted on their identities, and what the access to records journey looks like for different people.

For many care-experienced people, accessing childhood records is a deeply personal journey. These records can hold the missing pieces of identity, lost memories, or truths never fully explained. For some, reading their records brings clarity and a sense of self. For others, it raises even more questions.

Toya who is also a care leaver and accessed her files, speaks with care leavers who accessed their care records—and each story reveals how powerful and how complex this process can be. These conversations have been recorded as a series of podcasts below and as a guide to support others along their journey.