Stories, Belonging and Possibility: Celebrating National Care Leavers Month in Brighton & Hove
Thursday 12 November 2026 — A gathering to celebrate care experienced voices, stories and the possibilities we can create together.
This November, I'm delighted to be involved in bringing together a special National Care Leavers Month celebration in Brighton & Hove, alongside care experienced people, the Brighton & Hove Care Leavers Forum, community organisations and colleagues from across the city.
What began as the idea for a book launch has gradually grown into something more: an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of care experienced people, share stories, recognise change and imagine what might become possible when we come together.
The gathering will open with members of the Brighton & Hove Care Leavers Forum, sharing some of the changes they've helped bring about locally, including improvements around transport, support for young parents and access to care records.
We'll then be joined by Dr Lisa Cherry OBE and Dr Rosie Canning, both bringing their writing, experiences and perspectives to two book launches that invite us to think differently about care experience and the stories we tell.
The afternoon will also create space for a wider conversation between care experienced people, local services, community organisations and others across Brighton & Hove.
For me, these gatherings matter because care cannot be reduced to services, policies or professional responsibilities alone. It also lives in our relationships, in whose voices are heard, and in the spaces we create for one another.
I'm increasingly interested in how we might move beyond simply talking about care towards practising it together, creating communities where people can experience connection, recognition and belonging throughout their lives.
This celebration feels like one small but hopeful part of that journey.
Everyone interested in care experience, community and belonging is warmly invited.
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