Content Note: Mentions of suicide

Growing up in care meant I was often surrounded by professionals who made decisions on my behalf, often without consideration of what I wanted. Consequently, I learned to raise my voice. Through volunteering, I discovered my situation was not unique. As a teenager, I found those who I grew up with dying prematurely, in some instances to suicide and others as a result of lack of support and opportunities after leaving the care system and finding themselves stuck in a revolving door of institutionalisation.

In 2016, the former FM announced an Independent Care Review (ICR); however, come 2019, I felt as though little progress had been made and lobbied the Government by Co-Authoring “The We Do Not Have To Wait Report,” which led to me contributing to strategic planning directly with the First Minister and her special advisors, resulting in legislative changes before the promises’ publication in 2020.

During this time, I became a single mum. I returned to Education to complete my BA in Politics and Policy at UWS and secured a permanent role within the Scottish Government as a Civil Servant.

In 2021, I launched the International Care-Experienced Day of Remembrance and Care-Experienced History Month with other Care-Experienced people.

In 2022, I became one of the UK’s youngest female trustees, joining the board of Scotland’s first national youth mental health charity – Tiny Changes and have helped shape our three-year strategic plan with the aim of working together to make young minds feel better. #MakeTinyChanges

Read my blog, It’s time to talk about Care Experienced People of Colour, here.