Rebuilding what the system broke

It’s every child’s birthright to grow up in a loving, secure home.

Every child deserves to belong, to feel valued and to have their voice heard. No child should feel abandoned or neglected.

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Registered charity in England & Wales

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No. 1207064

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Founded by Fatima Whitbread MBE

The people behind it

Who's behind the campaign

Together we are creating a care system where every child feels safe, valued and able to thrive.

Fatima spent the first 14 years of her life in the care system before being fostered and adopted by her coach, Margaret Whitbread. She went on to break the world javelin record and win World and European titles. Drawing on her lived experience, she founded Fatima's UK Campaign to champion the nurturing support, stability and opportunities every child in care deserves, helping them build a brighter future.

Gina brings more than four decades of experience, including over 20 years leading an award-winning school and since 2005 developing leaders at every level. She empowers individuals, teams, and organisations to lead with integrity, compassion, and courage.

Together, they're working to change how the system treats every child who passes through it.

More about us

Why we exist

For too long, the UK care system has failed too many children and young people.

Many leave care without the support, stability or hope they need to build a secure future. They face homelessness, mental health crises and unemployment, often because the people and services around them fell short when they needed them most. Every young person deserves the chance to feel safe, supported and hopeful about what lies ahead.

This is not an easy challenge to solve, but young people cannot wait. Lived experience has shown us what that costs. Fatima's UK Campaign is bringing people together to turn that experience into practical action and better opportunities for children in care and care leavers.

“No more excuses. No more waiting. Young people need action now. Together, let’s change the story for those growing up in care.”

The scale of the challenge

0 K+

children in the UK care system today

1 in 3

care leavers face homelessness within two years

0 %

of care leavers are not in education, work or training

0 %

of children in care for over 12 months achieve a grade 4+ in English and maths at GCSE

Better Futures, Built Together

Our Action Hubs bring communities, carers, employers and decision-makers together to create real opportunities for young people.

  • Arts, Mentoring & Advocacy, Sport & Activity

ATF

Since 2012, ATF has worked with communities and young people at risk of exclusion, creating safe spaces, opportunity and wellbeing. Using sport, art, heritage and culture, it builds a sense of togetherness and has driven down anti-social behaviour in the areas it serves. Its place-based approach follows asset-based community development principles, running Discovery Days that put local people in the lead and reach the neighbourhoods and cohorts most often overlooked. Working alongside residents, schools, councils, the Probation Service and housing associations, ATF supports young people from age 5 to 24, and its work reclaiming spaces such as Northlands Park shows what communities can achieve when they lead.

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  • Education

University College Birmingham

University College Birmingham opens higher and further education to learners from every background, with a long-standing commitment to widening participation and social mobility. From further education to postgraduate study across business, health, hospitality, computing and the creative industries, UCB serves a diverse community including many from underrepresented groups. As a Care-Experienced Action Hub, it commits to welcoming and supporting care-experienced students, with dedicated wellbeing, financial, academic, careers and disability support designed to remove barriers. Backed by its Investors in Diversity accreditation, UCB works to ensure care-experienced learners can access opportunities, belong, and succeed.

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  • Employment & Skills, Health & Wellbeing, Mentoring & Advocacy

Ingeus

Ingeus works every day with people who have faced significant challenges, and it knows many of them have experience of the care system. Across justice, youth, employment and health services, it sees both the barriers care-experienced people can face and the strengths, resilience and potential they bring. Ingeus believes no one should be defined by their past, and that with the right support positive change is always possible. It is launching a Care-Experienced Mentoring Programme at HMP Ranby, offering tailored mentoring to help care-experienced people in custody build confidence and access education, training and employment. As an Action Hub, Ingeus wants to raise awareness, amplify care-experienced voices and help strengthen the support around them.

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  • Employment & Skills, Sport & Activity

Dallaglio RugbyWorks

Dallaglio RugbyWorks harnesses the power of rugby to support young people facing serious disadvantage. Founded by former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio, it was built to tackle social exclusion, unemployment and the absence of positive role models. It runs structured programmes in pupil referral units, alternative education settings and communities, reaching young people excluded from mainstream school or at risk of becoming NEET. Alongside rugby and mentoring, practical employability workshops on CVs, interviews and workplace expectations help young people move into education, training or work. By partnering with businesses and local authorities, it turns the values of rugby, teamwork, respect, discipline and resilience, into real opportunities.

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View all our hubs

One Voice Summit

Shaping Solutions Together

Delegates, contributors and exhibitors came together to share their experiences, look ahead and find practical solutions to improve outcomes for children and young people in care.

The Summit focused on what needs to happen next, and how we can make it happen together. Explore the sessions and read the draft white paper to see the ideas and solutions that came out of it.

Watch the sessions

News

What we're working on

All news

Join us in creating a care system which works for every child.

Join the partnership and help us deliver what every child and young person deserves: A loving, caring and secure home.

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