Care leaver welcomes equality move by Salford and Trafford councils

Terry Galloway (left) said the move will help care-leavers receive support they need

A man who grew up in a city's care system has welcomed a council motion to protect people like him from discrimination.

Salford and neighbouring Trafford recently became the latest Greater Manchester councils to make cared-for children a "protected characteristic" in equality impact assessments.

Terry Galloway, 46, has campaigned for "equal opportunity" for people who are in or have experience of care.

He said the move was "heart-warming".

The category will sit alongside anti-discrimination laws set out in the Equality Act 2010 and follows similar moves by the authorities in Manchester and Wigan.

Mr Galloway, who now lives in Nottingham, grew up in care in Salford and has campaigned for many years against discrimination affecting those with similar life experiences to his own.

'Vulnerable'

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that by the time he left the care system, he "had lived in more than 100 places".

He said that could lead to instability and prejudice, adding that when people reveal they have been in the care system, they often face discrimination in health care and employment settings.

"People leaving care at 18 can feel [they have been] left to fend for themselves," he said.

He said cared-for children "have a system of scaffolding to protect them", but it could be suddenly taken away, leaving them "vulnerable to coercion and criminal gangs".

"If you were to count up all the people in prisons or custody in England up to the age of 21, more than half have come from the care system," he said.

"Above the age of 21, that figure would be much higher.

"These people are 70% more likely to die prematurely because of the trauma they have been through in their lives."

He added that the protected status would help councils offer the right support and was "about creating equal opportunity".

Salford City Council's resolution stated that those with experience of care would have "formal recognition to ensure that in all decisions we make and in all of the policies that we set, [we] will consider their specific needs and the impacts on them".

Trafford Council's resolution said councils have "a duty to put the needs of vulnerable people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration".

"When making any decisions in relation to its policies or formulating corporate plans, the council recognises that care-experienced people are a vulnerable group who face discrimination," it added.