NEW: Lambeth to treat care experience as protected characteristic

The London Borough of Lambeth has become the first council in London to treat care experience as a protected characteristic.

The motion, bought forward by Labour councillors, recognises that ‘care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives’ and that ‘despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account’.

It goes on to commit the council to join the national campaign calling on the government to bring forward legislation to make care experience a protected characteristic. Lambeth Councill will now also treat care experience as an additional equality strand alongside the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act – as it already does with socio-economic issues.

Furthermore, the motion recommits Lambeth Council to proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people and putting their needs at the heart of decision making.

Cllr Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

“It is our responsibility as a society to ensure that those who have experience of being in care feel valued and supported rather than overlooked or ignored.

“In Lambeth, we are proud to be supporting the campaign to make being care experienced a protected characteristic. We are committed to creating an environment of acceptance and understanding for those in or leaving care, as well as providing the additional support services and resources they need.”

Terry Galloway, who leads the campaign for local authorities to adopt care experience as a protected characteristic and brought a deputation on the subject to Lambeth’s Council meeting, welcomed the motion, saying:

“I’m beyond delighted that Lambeth have passed this motion, I can’t thank them enough. But I’m disappointed that the government have already decided to dismiss care experience becoming a Protected Characteristic and thus far they have even refused to discuss it.

“Care experienced people want to be self-reliant, have a family and good relationships, but we need good parenting to get to that point. We need good, safe, sustainable housing, employment, and mental health service. But because of our trauma we don’t get the same access to life opportunities, something many can’t comprehend, that’s why we need a protected characteristic.”