Campaigners wanting equality for children in care head to Downing Street to make their voices heard
18.06.2023 - 08:15
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Children in care have made their voices heard after marching down to Number 10 Downing Street to demand they are no longer forgotten.
Terry Galloway has long been campaigning for children in care and care leavers not to be discriminated against, and now that message has been to the Prime Minister’s doorstep. The man who spent much of his youth in care homes across Greater Manchester has successfully attained care leavers ‘protected characteristics’ status in 31 councils across the UK, including Wigan, Salford, Trafford, Manchester and Oldham.
Within these councils, the care leavers are now categorized as protected from discrimination, just like anything relating to age, gender assignment, disability, race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief and sex.
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Helping Terry deliver the message to the heart of government were two 13-year-olds from Oldham. Precious, a child in foster care, and Penelope, vice-chair of Oldham Youth Council joined other campaigners on June 14 to deliver a report on protected characteristics to the Children’s Commissioner and Number 10, Downing Street.
After the meeting with Childrens' Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel De Souza, Penelope, Oldham Youth Council vice-chair said: “The experience of attending a meeting with the department of education’s children’s commissioner allowed us to create a safe space to listen to and speak about care experience becoming a protected characteristic.
“Though not care-experienced myself, it enabled me to vocally champion the voices of those who are and clearly state our encouragement for other youth councils across the country to do the same.