World Champion Fatima Whitbread updates on her campaign to fix the childcare system

The former Olympian javelinist describes the progress of her campaign to fix the childcare system in this country

Something extraordinary happened at our recent summit. And I don’t say that lightly. What we saw was a genuine shift — in tone, in energy, and in belief. For too long, the care system has been fragmented, siloed, full of good intentions and poor execution. But for once, we saw collaboration on a national scale: 110 organisations, from virtual school heads and mental health professionals to police commanders and local authorities — all coming together to say: enough.

This wasn’t just another event. It was a movement in the making. Guests came from across the four nations — even as far as the Isle of Man — and we saw, for the first time, a unified conversation about care. Ministers, stakeholders, and most importantly, the young people themselves, gave voice to something urgent: the need for belonging.

You cannot thrive in life if you don’t first know where you belong. And for too many children in care, the absence of stability, consistency and love creates deep wounds that last a lifetime. When we interviewed young people for this campaign, their message was clear: “Listen to us.” Over 80 interviews, including with children, ministers, frontline workers and experts, revealed a system that needs more than reform — it needs reimagining.

We’re campaigning to raise the age at which young people leave care from 18 to 25. Think about that: how many of us were truly ready at 18? And yet, a third of care leavers become homeless within two years. We’ve also called for a National Foster Register, to ensure matching is done with care and dignity — so children aren’t moved from “pillar to post” 30 or 40 times. That isn’t care. That’s trauma.

I was proud to have the support of figures like Michael Gove, Helen Hayes, Janet Daby and Lord John Bird — each speaking with authenticity, each recognising the power of lived experience. Michael was himself fostered. He knows what’s at stake. The support from leaders across party lines, including Keir Starmer who wrote the foreword to our programme, tells me we’re not shouting into a void. The challenge now is to keep the momentum going.

I’m taking the campaign on the road — localising the work, speaking directly to communities, and continuing to build on the momentum we’ve created. Nicola Sturgeon said it well: “We’ll only improve the care system through shared good practice and knowledge.” She’s right. We need depth and breadth — and we need to eliminate the postcode lottery that determines a child’s future.

I believe in the power of creativity. Sport changed my life. It gave me purpose, identity, direction. That’s why part of our campaign involves introducing arts, sports and tech programmes to engage young people and teach vital life skills. These aren’t just hobbies — they are pathways to employment, to self-worth, to sustainable independence.

I’ve raised funds mostly from the everyday person — the small donations, the believers. We’ve had little to no financial backing from big corporates, even though many of them are aware of our work. I’ve learned tough lessons about how competitive and political funding can be. But here’s what I’ve also learned: if you invest in smaller charities, the ones rooted in community, they will be the ones still standing when the system falls short.

Too much money gets lost in admin and red tape. We need to support the frontline — the people who show up, day after day, doing the work that makes a difference. Look after your smaller charities, and they’ll look after you.

We have a White Paper coming, and a public petition to support it — available soon at Fatima’s Campaign. The message is simple: Invest in our children, and you invest in your future. It’s not just political; it’s moral.

This campaign has challenged me in every way — physically, emotionally, financially. But I don’t regret a second of it. Because something is happening. People are waking up. And as long as I’ve got breath in my lungs, I’ll keep pushing.

The care system doesn’t just need fixing. It needs to be seen. These children are not statistics. They are potential. And it’s time we gave them the chance to fulfil it.