Lambeth to make 'care experienced' a protected characteristic like race, religion, or disability

A man abused while in care is visiting every town hall in the country in his bid to change the law and stamp out discrimination against care kids. 

Terry Galloway and his sister were moved in and out of the care system around 100 times. The siblings were first placed in care when he was just a month old. 

In a promise to his sister Hazel - who was also abused - Terry, 46, committed to fight for improving rights for people who've been in care, months before she was killed at the age of 33 by her abusive boyfriend Andrew Grundy back in 2008.

He wants councils to treat having been in care as a protected characteristic, like race or religion, which would ban discrimination against someone because they had been in care. 

Terry eventually wants the UK government to pass a law making it illegal to discriminate against people because they've been in care. On Wednesday evening (January 25), he made his eleventh stop in his tour of the country at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton. 

Following his speech, Lambeth became the first council in London to vote to treat "care experienced" as a protected characteristic. Officials also agreed to write to the UK government, calling on ministers to put this into law.

Speaking at the meeting on January 25, he said: "Me and my sister were abused in the care system. We were never believed. Our voices were suppressed. She was so traumatised and never recovered. 

From left: SNP MP Chris Law, who is supporting Terry\'s campaign, with Terry Galloway in Parliament. CREDIT: Supplied by Terry Galloway

"She never got the help she needed. At 33 years-old we were at a funeral together for someone else and she told me that she thought she would be next. 

"I spent hours convincing her that it would be okay and we would change the care system for the better and use the pain for the good. […] On that night we promised to make what we'd been through count."

He says too often care leavers are kicked out into society when they hit 18 without proper support. Terry hopes that forcing services to consider having been in care as a protected characteristic will bring about a greater shift in how care leavers are supported and treated in everyday life. 

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said: "My sister was looking for love. She was vulnerable and that makes you at risk of domestic abuse. 

"When kids are in care they have a lot of scaffolding around them. I wasn't allowed to even go out with my bike if I didn't have a cycling proficiency assessment. 

"But then when you get to that age you're kicked out and you don't have the experience of relationships and people take advantage."

Scottish National Party MP Chris Law, who is care leaver, called on the UK government to hold a debate in Parliament to discuss the issue yesterday (January 26). 

Cllr Claire Holland, leader of Lambeth Council, said: "Far too often care experienced people face significant barriers which impact them throughout their lives and our society fails to take their needs into account.

"We call on the government to bring forward legislation to treat care experience as a protected characteristic. In the meantime, whilst we wait for government, we will treat care experience as an additional equality strand alongside other protected characteristics."