Every Child Deserves a Chance – Reform the UK Care System Now

📢 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. In fact, over one-third of care leavers are homeless within two years of leaving care.

This isn’t just a policy issue. This is a national moral crisis.

Children in care did not choose their circumstances. They deserve the same love, safety, and opportunity as every other child.

We demand urgent change.

We are calling 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

This petition is part of the Fatima’s UK Campaign led by Olympian Fatima Whitbread MBE, herself a care leaver. We know change is possible—but only if enough people demand it.

✍️ Sign now.

📣 Share widely.

👧🏽👦🏻 Together, let’s build a care system that truly cares.

Thank you,
Fatima Whitbread MBE – Founder, Fatima’s UK Campaign
Gina Gardiner – Vice Chair