WHO WE ARE

Every Child Leaving Care Matters (ECLCM) are a campaign group formed to stop Government discrimination against children in residential care who want support to 21, the same as those in foster care.

We have formed a Core Group of members who will effectively act as an Executive Body in an effort to streamline our plans and decision making processes, this group is well supported by a somewhat larger group of colleagues who are actively participating in developing the campaign. We are, however, acutely aware that all of us are unelected and have no mandate save for our passion and commitment to achieving equality of opportunity for residential care leavers.

Core Group:
Ed Nixon was a former CEO of a company delivering residential and fostering services supported by a therapeutic team. Desperate to improve services and outcomes for looked after children to offer them the same opportunities as all other children in UK have enjoyed for years that enable them to enjoy a happy adult life.

Danielle McLaughlin – is a care leaver with relevant life skills and experience that comes with that. A proud mother with two brilliant children and is now finally in a place to embrace her dream to become a social worker.

Ben Ashcroft is a proud father, care leaver, author of Fifty-One Moves, speaker, and campaigner. 51 Moves, is about his experiences of the social care system and his journey in and out of trouble. Ben is committed to positive change and learning based on his experience and the experiences of others.

Ian Dickson is a widower, proud dad and granddad, retired inspector and social worker, care leaver and advocate who wants to improve life for children & other care leavers.

Affliate Members:
Rosie Canning is a writer, librarian and campaigner. She helped save Friern Barnet Library with the Occupy Movement and set up the ECLCM petition, blog and social media. She is Creative Director of Greenacre Writers/Finchley Literary Festival. Rosie spent the first 16 years of her life in care. She is a PhD scholar researching 'The Representation of Care Leavers'. Rosie has her own family and is a happy grandmother.

Lisa Cherry is an Author, Speaker, Trainer and Coach and is passionate about healing the manifestation of trauma. Lisa spent her early teenage years in care leaving at 16 like so many do. A writer of three books exploring recovery, adult voices of children who have been in care and the complexities of mothering. Lisa has two teenage children and appears to have got them to (almost) adulthood alive.

Helen Williams is a Trainee Clinical Psychologist. She has worked in a therapeutic children's home & a secure forensic hospital for young people. Ensuring access to supportive, consistent placements for young people where they are able to form positive relationships is vitally important to enable them to feel safe and valued and to give them the skills and confidence to go on to enjoy happy, meaningful lives.

Sarah Sturmey is founder of ‘insight’ whose sole purpose is to empower young people who have left or are in statutory care. Providing a platform for talent, creativity and a catalyst for social action, our aim is to equip care leavers with the skills they need to take control of their lives now and in the future.

Mary Campbell-Wharam is a parent, graduate, care leaver and works directly with young care leavers in the community for the charity Pure Insight.

Rose Devereux – is a Social worker, care leaver, passionate about service user/carer involvement. Working for PSS in partnership with Liverpool Hope University

Philomena Harrison - is a Senior Lecturer in social work and currently Programme leader for the BA in Social work at Liverpool Hope University. Philomena is also a kinship carer.

Sarah Jury worked in an activity centre that specialised in Children with Behavioural difficulties when she was 18. At 22, she started working in residential care. Since then she has helped set up a young people's newsletter celebrating their achievements and various charity events, including a curry eating challenge for Children in Need, a Wax Off for Young Minds and helped young people put on a modern day nativity in aid of the Who Care’s Trust as well as being a staff mentor.

To contact ECLCM: 
Email: everychildleavingcarematters@gmail.com
Twitter: @rescareto21

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