Isabelle Kirkham 💛
@IsabelleKirkham
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Following
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Media
314
Statuses
4,590
She/Her - Care Experienced - Activist - Occasional writer & theatre maker - Big Sister - Mum - LGBTQ+ - Tweets all me
Liverpool, England
Joined July 2015
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Pinned Tweet
Me and Joey are excited to share the news that our little moon arrived safely on the 21st July 2024, weighing just over 7lbs✨
Luna-Rae Kaitlin Kirkham the world is so ready to meet you and watch you grow 🌕🩷
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Update : My brother has been found.
Thank you so much for the support of this post and for sharing.
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Imagine arriving home from school to find social workers, police officers and clothes in a bin bag. Then put in the back of a car, driven miles away from home and taken to a stranger's house.
This was my reality 16 years ago today at 9 years old.
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We still haven’t been able to find my brother. We just want to know he is safe.
There has been a possible sighting of someone that looks like him at Totton Train Station on Christmas Eve.
We have passed on all information to the police who are looking into finding him.
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My “corporate parents” have been in my life since I was about 7 years old.
They’ve been my lifeline. I wouldn’t be alive if I hadn’t entered the care system fully at 9.
That lifeline & almost every other lifeline I can use fully gets cut off Monday.
Why?
Because I turn 25.
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I think the reason it made me cry is because I was once Ellie. Confused, scared and anxious.
This John Lewis advert has made care experienced people seen and felt at a time we are often forgotten about.
Emotional wreck for the day ❤️
#TheBeginner
@JohnLewisRetail
Normally the John Lewis advert doesn’t bother me. But this year I actually watched very teary eyed.
This is how you support and amplify care experienced people.
Thank you
@JohnLewisRetail
@jlpartnership
#TheBeginner
❤️
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I feel immense pressure to write a tweet about
#MothersDay
and my lack of a “mother” growing up.
Today I celebrate myself.
I cared for myself and my siblings growing up. I cared for myself while in care and I care for myself today.
So today is a day for me.
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Goodbye dissertation at last 🎉
“Tracy Beaker made me want to grow up in care”
How the representation of care & care experienced people in Tracy Beaker impacts care experienced people
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I can officially say I’m a graduate of
@CSSDLondon
with a First Class Honours Degree 🎓
It was a weird day to be in a room that care experienced people are often excluded from.
Nine year old Isabelle I promise you, you are worthy, powerful and can achieve anything
#CEP
It’s my graduation ceremony today…
I feel weird about it.
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I am not a Care Leaver. I am Care Experienced.
Please stop referring to me by a label my corporate parents gave me to stop having to support me.
I’ll say it again. I am not a Care Leaver. I am Care Experienced.
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Today I’m down in London alongside 100+ care experienced people to lobby MPs in parliament around the change the care system needs.
I’m here to challenge and fight for the rights of the full care experienced community in all its diversity.
#ItsOurCare
#CEP
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Children and young people will always need to go into care.
Despite my journey in care being awful, If I didn’t go into care I wouldn’t be alive today. My family had at home support and all six of us still needed to go into care.
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I haven’t spoken about my sister in awhile. I often worry people will forget about her and that her 12 years in this world will never be remembered.
So this is my sister Kaitlin.
She loves horses, one direction and always told everyone she loved them.
I miss her dearly x
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A Care Experienced National
Organisation must be led & run by Care Experienced People
Nothing about us, without us
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To my community of care experienced people. We are about to see a lot in the media and the general public about the care system.
Please be kind to yourself.
Solidarity and love 🤍✊
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#CareLeaversWeek
makes me uncomfortable. Every year it’s over run by non-CEP “celebrating us”
Wanna know the best way to celebrate us?
Amplify care experienced people.
Campaign with us.
Protest with us.
Actually support us.
That’s it.
That’s my
#NCLW21
post.
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I’d like to say a piece of history happened today for care experienced people.
#KeepCaringTo18
Hand in at
@10DowningStreet
by 6 care experienced people.
Thank you to
@EmmaLewellBuck
&
@jeremycorbyn
for talking with us today.
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Normally I don’t post on tik tok but with the news of Tracy Beaker coming back I couldn’t resist making this.
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Care Experience does not end at 25.
We need to stop putting age limits on support for Care Experienced people. It’s just not good enough.
The impact of growing up in care does not end because you turn a certain age.
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My local authority left me a voicemail yesterday. They have photos of me from my time in care and ones of me with my family.
Why wasn’t I given these in 2018 when I requested my files I’ll never know.
I should get them in the post hopefully today.
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I’m apart of this delegation of care experienced people 📣📣📣
Never in my life time did I think I’d have to go to
@10DowningStreet
to hand in a petition to fight for CEYP rights.
We are close to 10k signatures. If you haven’t signed or shared yet now is the time!
A delegation of care experienced people takes the
#KeepCaringTo18
petition to 10 Downing Street next week. We think this is the first time care experienced people have had to ask the PM to guarantee care for every child in care. Please stand with them:
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Normally the John Lewis advert doesn’t bother me. But this year I actually watched very teary eyed.
This is how you support and amplify care experienced people.
Thank you
@JohnLewisRetail
@jlpartnership
#TheBeginner
❤️
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Today is
#CareDay23
Today I celebrate nine year old Isabelle. As despite the trauma she experienced, she is thriving at 26.
I am glad I went into care. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be alive today.
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15 years ago today I was placed into foster care
I wouldn’t have much to say to 9 year old me. But I would hug her. I’d tell how much she’s loved & how proud she should be of herself.
I’d tell her about the powerful person she will grow into & how powerful she truly is.
#CEP
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First day today studying my masters degree.
I often remind myself that I’m not only breaking Care Experienced stereotypes, but my very own imposter syndrome.
Doctor Isabelle you are only a few years away 🎓
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Any other care experienced people completely exhausted?
I feel genuine guilt for not speaking out right now, but I just don’t have the energy to do so.
I’ll share my thoughts on the review in a couple days time 🕊
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I become massively aware of my care experience when I go through “normal” life events.
I’ve just moved house again, and the lack of support I have in comparison to others is massively apparent to me. Even more so since losing all support from my corporate parents.
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I do not and will not support someone who is not Care Experienced being in this role.
Being Care Experienced is fundamentally political, and I refuse to have someone with no experience of the system leading on this in government.
I will be vocally pushing against this.
The Prime Minister has appointed me as his cross-Government care leaver lead, and I’m determined that we make this the best country in the world to be a care leaver.. such a special cohort, lots of similarities with the Veteran’s role, really excited to get going today 👍
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One thing many non-care experienced people have is memories in the form of photos.
As a care experienced person photos of us growing up are hard to come by. I received a few photos from my local authority recently.
This is one of them photos. I think we are 5 and 7
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I’m down in London tomorrow to be apart of the delegation of care experienced people to hand in the
#KeepCaringTo18
petition
@article_39
A petition that is so unbelievably important to protecting vulnerable children.
⬇️
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I want to jump back to this quickly -
“Yes, depending on the child”
If you want to foster and plan to be picky because you don’t want “certain” children. Don’t foster. Simple.
Love from, a care experienced person who’s foster parent shouldn’t have fostered
Last week
@TeacherTapp
asked teachers whether they would temporarily foster a child from their class. Stunningly, about half said that they would. Why does this matter?
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A massive thank you to
@zarahsultana
for chatting with me and
@ShaunnaDevine8
It was powerful to talk to such a powerful women. Thank you for listening to us and being such a great ally to care experienced people
Let’s keep talking!
#ItsOurCare
#CEP
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So this has happened 😭
Congratulations to Isabelle Kirkham who has been nominated for the Positive Role Model Award for Age: sponsored by
@OpenUniversity
at The National Diversity Awards 2022 in association with
@itvnews
. To vote please visit
#NDA22
#VotingNowOpen
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Today is Care Day.
It is day to celebrate care & care experienced people.
I’m often not sure what there is to celebrate about care. I’d like to know what other care experienced people celebrate about care?
Me? I celebrate being alive.
#CareDay22
#CareExperienced
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Just some personal news to share with you all.
Our little human is due on the 21st July 2024.
Quite a beautiful birthday present to see our tiny human growing. 🌈🤍
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Grieving as a care experienced person
I’ve had this sat in my drafts for awhile. I finally feel able to post it
CW: Death, Grief and Care
💛
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You do not have lived experience of the care system if you didn’t grow up in it.
I’m massively disappointed to see there is only a single care experienced person on the implementation board.
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I don’t normally talk about my grades or how I’m doing at Uni... But I can’t hide it away that I’m finishing second year on a first, and that I’m really quite proud of myself 👏
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So I have some news to share….
I’m going back to University to get my masters degree in Political Science and International Relations at
@LivUni
🎓📚💜
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Just got my graduation booking information though
£20 a guest
At least £45 to hire a gown
Even after finishing University it’s completely inaccessible to anybody who comes from anything other than a privileged life.
@CSSDLondon
Do better.
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9 year old Isabelle needed the change 25 year old Isabelle is pushing for.
I support a better future for all care experienced people
#ItsOurCare
#CEP
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Can I just get a hands up for the amount of CEP (any age) who hate the term “Looked After Child”
It’s got to be scraped as the statutory term to describe young people & children in care.
Child in care & Care Experienced Young Person
Are two terms I think are much better.
Point on language. As this centres around right to 'care', counsels are using different terms.
So judge has asked to stick to statutory language...
Art.39 counsel to use 'Looked After Child' rather than 'child in care'.
Gov't counsel to use 'care plan' rather than 'package'.
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Now it’s finally settled & feels a little more real.
I’ve broken not only a care experienced (false) statistic but also a family one
If 9 year old me placed into care in 2006 could see 24 year old me in 2021 with a first class honours degree she’d be unbelievably proud
#CEP
I can’t believe I’m writing this but I’ve officially graduated The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with a FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE
#Graduate
#CareExperienced
#CEP
#CSSD
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
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Wanted to share the news that me & Joey are going to be parents to a little girl 🩷
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I’ve always felt uncomfortable calling myself a care leaver.
I’m care experienced.
When I spoke to
@IsabelleKirkham
about the cliff edge of care, I asked what she would change if she were children’s commissioner tomorrow. It is a model answer, one full of wisdom, compassion but also common sense. ‘Care leavers don’t exist’.
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Sorry for the mass tag. Please could you all share this post about my brother.
@missingpeople
@lemnsissay
@ccwild79
@HoyleTime
@Millinerstale1
@sophiassocials
@Become1992
@AshcroftBen
@CEPbarrister
@philwatson184
@EaCES_
@TerryGalloway
@Jimmypaul90
@LeedsNews
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Jumping back on for a brief moment to send love to all who are Care Experienced and/or Estranged today.
Today is my first
#MothersDay
where I have felt genuine joy. Truly can’t wait to meet the tiny human growing away safely.
🩷
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The care system kept me alive, but it didn’t make me feel alive. That’s all me.
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I want to share that this year I’m excited for Christmas.
I’m excited to cook Christmas dinner with my partner, open Christmas Eve boxes with matching Pjs in & eat my weight in cheese
But most of all, I’m excited because I feel so loved this year.
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What do all my care experienced followers/friends think of the term “forever family” ?
Makes me think of a pet getting adopted…
It really frustrates me how many non care experienced people often use the same language for us to describe getting an animal
Maybe it’s just me 🤷♀️
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Please can we stop saying “ a voice for the voiceless”
Every person has a voice. Sometimes certain voices aren’t heard but they still have a voice.
We should push & amplify for all voices to be heard, not take their voices & use them as our own/for our own gain.
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I'm planning to do my master's dissertation on Care Experience becoming a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
I believe in order for it to have real impact it needs to be in written policy, from Government. For that to happen, it needs debate and research.
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This.
@AshleyJBaptiste
👏
I went from being essentially my siblings parents to being an only child in a strangers home with my siblings 300 miles away from me.
I remember having to guilt trip my social worker to allow me to see my siblings more than twice a year.
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I can’t believe I’m writing this but I’ve officially graduated The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with a FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE
#Graduate
#CareExperienced
#CEP
#CSSD
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
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I won’t be watching
#JoeSwash
#TeensInCare
.
I find shows that are so deeply connected to my trauma, uncomfortable.
I also find the media and public commentary on Care Experience People overwhelming and deeply rooted in stigma.
Love to my
#CEP
community this evening.
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My oldest brother phoned me shortly after watching this and said he wants to start talking about his care experience and justice system experience.
This is the biggest impact this interview has had on me. It’s inspired my siblings to start finding power in their own stories.
With a shortage of suitable accommodation closer to home, children in care are too often being sent away from their local communities.
@JaneDodgeC4
meets Isabelle - who ended up hundreds of miles away from her siblings and grandparents.
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#NationalSiblingsDay2021
I find these “National” days about family in particular ones centred about siblings incredibly difficult
This long thread is why:
Sibling relationships are the longest lasting in most people’s lives. Siblings Together supports
#lookedafterchildren
to maintain their sibling relationships. Please RT with your support
#siblingstogether
#siblingsincare
#socialwork
#positiverelationships
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It’s my graduation ceremony today…
I feel weird about it.
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A massive thank you to
@fostfamilies
&
@danibrownmbe
for having my abbreviated dissertation in this months edition!
It has also the very lovely
@PoisonPinkDaisy
in as-well!
… - Read both our articles here!
#CEP
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I’m not strong because I’m care experienced. I had to be strong because of my care experience
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Submitted my MA dissertation proposal today.
I genuinely believe in order for this to happen on a policy changing level, there needs to be in-depth research.
Alongside a real definition of the term Care Experience.
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In complete solidarity with
@article_39
Who are today in the High Court for
#KeepCaringto18
legal challenge
At 16 I was lucky enough to stay in my foster placement. If I hadn’t stayed there, I don’t think I’d be alive today.
We must
#KeepCaringto18
Actress
@samthesparrow
says the current care system is still 'not fit for purpose'.
She is now supporting a campaign for all children in care to be in accommodation that provides supervision when they pass 16 until they get to 18.
@susannareid100
|
@richardm56
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🧵
Anyone who has had a social worker will tell you there is often a lack of trust with them from the get go.
This will create a much bigger barrier.
I would have not disclosed anything to my social workers if they had a camera attached to them.
'Social workers should wear police-style bodycams on home visits' - says new campaign, backed by the grandmother of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
What do you think?
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Please can we for once have a piece of research about the POSITIVE impact of being care experienced.
Childhood in care raises risk of entering English youth justice system eightfold
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Care should give you the best opportunity in life.
You shouldn’t have to be really strong and work through care, and be one of the lucky ones.
#KeepCaringTo18
#CareExperienced
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"Tracy Beaker made me want to grow up in care"
How the representation of care & care experienced people in Tracy Beaker impacts care experienced people
Read it here:
Support me on KOFI here:
#TracyBeaker
#CEP
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An email I'd never seen until today.
One that said my foster carer had given "notice" on me. That I had 28 days to leave the place I had considered “home” for 7 years at 16, without my knowledge.
A landlord has to give more notice than my corporate "parent" ever did.
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Despite growing up in care me & my dad have a wonderful relationship. My dad also grew up in care. But that cycle ends with me.
Last weekend he spent the weekend with me & I took him up the Liverbird building in the beautiful city of Liverpool.
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I currently have my 22 year old autistic brother round for the weekend.
He’s just told me he doesn’t have his PA anymore.
He’s not in education or currently employed, and he’s been completely left on his own.
@hantsconnect
This isn’t good enough. Expect a call from me.
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I’m in this.
I feel completely honoured that
@_LisaCherry
invited me to write a chapter & supported me in doing so.
Thank you for giving me the space to tell my story x
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I sometimes feel so deflated as nothing ever seems to change in the care system. I’ve realised that is the system causing me to feel like that.
No real change has ever happened from within a system. But by pushing, shouting and fighting the fuck back at it.
Change is coming
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I start my masters degree in a couple weeks.
I’m becoming quite aware that I still need to work alongside studying. Is there any support out there for care experienced students over 25?
Also for any support with books/equipment prior to starting?
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I chatted with
@GranadaReports
about why we must
#KeepCaringTo18
I can’t upload the full interview but it can be viewed here ⬇️
@article_39
✊ Change has to come for the care experienced community 💛
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I didn’t just need “welfare & maintenance” I needed love & someone to care.
#KeepCaringTo18
Mr Justice Holgate sums up this latest gov't argument as exposing "the dangers of shorthand" - gov't claiming that the use of 'care' in this case has become a shorthand that's alien to actual provisions in law.
Proposes that 'care' is better defined as 'welfare and maintenance'.
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I know said I’d only do one
#CareLeaversWeek
post…
But I thought use the time to share I’ve written a whole chapter for
@_LisaCherry
’s The Brightness of Stars
If I could tell 9 year old me she’d have a chapter in a book, she’d call me a liar
(Ps: Spring 22 it’s out)
#CEP
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Three whole years of being married to the love of my life. (And around 7 of being together)
I truly never thought I’d experience the love I do with Joey ❤️
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@BBCWomansHour
Hey general public interacting with this 📣
Please voice your thoughts but directly listen, & learn from care experienced people on this. And amplify them.
Here’s some places to start:
@howtobeadopted
@locoparentispod
@ReclaimCare
@sophiassocials
@cllegacy1
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Appreciation tweet to my counsellor. Starting to explore the aspects of my trauma (before, during and after care) that I’ve buried deep.
2023 is the year of healing ❤️🩹
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Yesterday evening I spent the night celebrating how many wonderful, inspiring people live in the UK at the
@ndawards
While I didn’t win, it feels truly overwhelming to have even been nominated let alone shortlisted!
Massive congratulations to every one who won 🎉❤️
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Im completely blown away by this!! Thank you so much everyone who voted me 😭
#NDA
#CEP
@CSSDLondon
🎉
@IsabelleKirkham
– Congratulations!! You have been shortlisted for the Positive Role Model Award for Age at the National Diversity Awards 2022 in association with
@ITVNews
! Good Luck!
#NDA
#NDA22
#ShortlistedNominee
@OpenUniversity
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I really do love
@JohnLewisRetail
&
@wearemadlug
Such a simple yet powerful way to make a difference for care experienced children and young people’s lives.
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And it’s live:
A piece of spoken word written in collaboration with care experienced people
@RozaDimkaRegan
&
@chris_jake19
#CEP
#Theatre
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A child should never be called a burden. Let alone a traumatised child.
I wasn’t a burden on my foster family. To have been labelled a burden at 10 years old is disgusting.
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Beautiful speech by
@samthesparrow
🤍
Representation like this is unbelievably important for care experienced people.
We are more than the negative research and statistics. We are human beings with beautiful stories and lives 🤍
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Hey
@educationgovuk
&
@willquince
this is how you support care experienced young people into independence.
I’d love to chat about how this could come into practise in England.
BREAKING: Every 18 year old leaving care in
#Wales
will be offered £1,600 a month over 2 years under the basic income pilot. 🏴
It's believed to be the highest amount offered on a scheme of its kind *ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD*.
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So far this has resonated with me the most.
I had a horrible time with my foster placement, and I couldn't tell anyone that could help me at the time.
Listen to us.
Our voices need to be heard.
@AshcroftBen
@InspiredYouth
@smtimyork
@CareLeaversVoic
@whocaresscot
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It’s important to note that the care review isn’t the only way care experienced people can use our own voices to speak out/make change.
While I wasn’t offered a position myself, it won’t stop me from actively pushing for the change the system needs & to keep speaking out.
💛
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Feels important to share I recently got diagnosed with something I’ve known about myself for quite sometime.
Getting an autism diagnosis has been massively validating and I feel like I’ve finally started to accept who I am and the way my brain works 🩷
#WorldAutismAcceptanceDay
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I’ve been so excited for campaign to be launched that I and 9 other inspiring care leavers have worked on with
@actnforchildren
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Just submitted my final university essay 🎉
I don’t think it will hit me until tomorrow but I’ve finally finished my undergraduate degree
#CEP
@CSSDLondon
&
@cssdcpp
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This is the representation Care Experienced people want and deserve.
#FreeLoavesonFridays
is such a beautiful and very much needed book. 🤍
Honoured beyond measure to have had a room full of love, support & allyship at the Free Loaves on Fridays launch.
Forever grateful to 100 authors for your bravery, courage & strength. You have moved mountains.
@BASW_UK
@JohnLewisRetail
@article_39
@TogetherTrust
@ChildrensComm
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It’s not often I can relate to Care Experienced characters in media.
The new season of Sex Education has captured the impact of being Care Experienced & Estranged in such a beautiful way.
An emotional watch this Sunday.
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