Fatima Whitbread is remembered by many as an Olympic champion. But before she ever picked up a javelin, she was a child in care. Like so many others, her childhood was marked by physical, mental, and sexual abuse. These are the UK’s most vulnerable young people, yet far too often they are left unprotected.
Today, there are around 110,000 children in care across the UK. The system faces a shortage of 11,000 foster carers, and one third of local authorities are reporting weekly rises in the number of children entering care. At just 18, these young people are pushed into the world unsupported, underprepared, and alone. One in three will experience homelessness.
Fatima asks the question: would we allow this for our own children? The answer is no. Yet this is the reality facing thousands of care leavers every single day.
Changing the story for care leavers
One of the greatest challenges facing young people when they leave care is financial insecurity. Too many step into adulthood with no family, no savings, and no safety net. That is why Fatima’s UK Campaign is prioritising financial awareness and stability, to help care leavers build resilience and a foundation for success.
But the vision does not stop there. In April, Fatima led the first ever national summit bringing together voices from across all four nations. More than 110 contributors and 750 stakeholders from education, health, justice, housing, sport, the arts, and technology came together. That summit was proof of what is possible when sectors unite behind a shared purpose.
Action Hubs: a model for lasting change
Fatima is now building Action Hub’s Wrap Around Local Authority Hubs and Pathfinders. This pioneering model will offer:
-
Financial education and security
-
Trauma-informed mentoring
-
Housing and transport support
-
Pathways into meaningful employment
-
Partnerships with local charities and employers
This is not just a project. It is a replicable model for systemic and lasting change. Brentwood Council has already signed up, and interest is growing nationwide.
A personal mission
Fatima’s story is not only one of survival, but of determination to transform the care system itself. Her mission is clear: no child should ever feel abandoned, voiceless, or alone.
Children are our future. Fatima believes we must aspire for them as we do for our own. Through her campaign, she is calling on the UK to be bold, to be aspirational, and to bring about the fundamental change these young people deserve.