Britain: Calls for growing up in care to be ‘protected characteristic’ under Equality Act

Josh MacAlister

Josh MacAlister, a former schoolteacher who founded social work charity Frontline, was tasked by the government with leading a review of children’s social care.

His findings are to be published today and are among 80 recommendations to fix the “dysfunctional” system currently in place and “reduce stigma and discrimination”.

Under the Equality Act 2010, there are nine “protected” characteristics. These are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

In relation to reducing the stigma of being in care, the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care said: “There is a case to go further. Therefore, the government should make care experience a protected characteristic.

“There are some who worry that making care a protected characteristic might inadvertently increase the stigma care-experienced people face … however, we believe the introduction is necessary and like other ‘hidden’ protected characteristics, care-experienced people would be able to choose whether to share their past care experience or not.

“Making care experience a protected characteristic would provide greater authority to employers, businesses, public services and policy makers to put in place policies and programmes that promote better outcomes for care-experienced people.

“It will make the UK the first country in the world to recognise care-experienced people in this way.”

The review is also calling for a windfall tax on the profits of the 15 largest private children’s home providers in order to fund the overhaul of the care system.

Writing for The Telegraph today, Mr MacAlister called on businesses “to play their part” to assist care-leavers who lack a family support network and to tackle nepotism when hiring.