Description
Award-winning author, poet and broadcaster Lemn Sissay invites you to join him as he explores the institutional care system today.
Lemn, whose poignant and powerful bestselling memoir My Name is Why was a reflection on his own childhood in care, has been highly critical of children’s social care provision in the UK. He recently published a powerful article accusing Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza of failing to champion children and young people in care at a crucial time.
Joining the writer and performer are Chris Wild, author of The State of It, care-experienced journalist Rebekah Pierre, and Bradford West MP Naz Shah, who will reflect on her own experience of the care system. As well as examining the flaws in the institution, the panel will discuss what must be done to protect some of the most vulnerable people in society.
Related Book
Lemn Sissay – My Name is Why
Chris Wild – The State of It
About the Speakers
Lemn Sissay
Lemn Sissay OBE is a poet playwright, memoirist performer and broadcaster. Lemn Sissay was named MBE for services to literature by The Queen in 2014. In 2021 he named OBE for services to Literature and Charity. He has honorary doctorates from Universities of Huddersfield, Manchester, Brunel, Kent and Essex. Lemn has been Chancellor of University since 2015. He has judged many literary competitions including 2020 Booker Prize, The Gold Man Booker Awards, The National Poetry Competition, The Forward Prize, The Ted Hughes Prize, Cardiff International poetry competition, The Creative Future Literary Awards, and the Bridport Prize. He lives in London and Manchester.
Chris Wild
Chris Wild is an author, care home consultant, government advisor, national youth advisor for young people, and charity patron. He is a passionate advocate and campaigner whose first book, Damaged, tells the story of his life and those of other young children in care he met along the way. His second book, The State of It, is a rallying call for change as he exposes the continuing failure of young people in care.
Naz Shah
Naz Shah is the Labour MP for Bradford West. Elected to Parliament in 2015. Shah has served her constituents for over a decade, holding senior frontbench roles including Shadow Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Shadow Home Office Minister and Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities. She has also served on the Home Affairs Select Committee and championed legislation on issues affecting some of the UK’s most vulnerable communities.
Rebekah Pierre
Rebekah Pierre is a care-experienced author and campaigner with a background in child protection social work. She has written extensively about care, featuring in The Guardian, BBC Radio 4 and more. Her newest publication Free Loaves on Fridays is a scathing challenge to those with power to change the system.
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