This is a year to remember. BBC journalist Ashley John Baptiste launched his memoir Looked After in mid June. On 8th July Lung Theatre at Southwark Playhouse launched “The Children’s Inquiry” to rave reviews. On 23rd July Josh MacAlister in his maiden speech in Houses of Parliament (see video) said "the disadvantage faced by the care experienced community in our country should be the civil rights issue of our time".  

On 25th July at BAFTA in Piccadilly a sold out cinema gave a standing ovation to two time Bafta Winner Sophie Willan, and the cast of the upcoming BBC One second series of Alma’s Not Normal, due out later this year.

In this last week best selling author and darling of the New York Times Jenni Fagan celebrated her memoir, Ootlin, in conversation with friend and BAFTA winning Oscar nominated actor of distinction Samantha Morton. All will be revealed soon enough. Ootlin launches at The Edinburgh Literature festival on August 22nd. The event sold out in a New York minute.  

In the past month manuscripts have been delivered to their publishers from  UN worker Benjamin Perks, Head of Campaigns and Advocacy in the Division of Global Communications and Advocacy at the United Nations Children's Fund - His book is titled Trauma Proof – and from  Baroness Lola Young. Her book is titled  8 weeks. They are both due out later this year.

Let’s stay on books, a few months ago Rebekah Pierre White - recently appointed deputy director of Article 39 - edited  Free Loaves on Friday which is a book featuring the writings of  100 care experienced people.

World champion, Olympic medalist and national treasure BBC Sports Personality of the Year Fatima Whitbread has spent the year racing around the country,  climbing mountains, running for miles and meeting all kinds of incredible people, to raise money for Fatima’s Campaign and raise awareness of young people in care.

Meanwhile Terry Galloway has encouraged 98 councils sign up to care experience as a protected characteristic. Each council has heard evidence such as this one in Maidenhead and Woking last week.

Every person in this article except Josh has been in care and has no fear speaking of their time there.  By speaking out in the way Samantha Morton spoke on receiving her Lifetime Achievement Award from BAFTA earlier this year , by speaking out like Samantha we turn the tables on prejudice and trauma. It is defiance. The same determination we felt in our childhoods when some of us were plunged into sustained shocking darkness.

And though we are a long long way from where we need to be, we are closer than ever before. Here is that magnificent majestic speech by The BAFTA life time achievement award winner, with Prince William in the audience and Ken Loach too Samantha said “I dedicate this award to every child in care”. It is a moment of pure triumph. I punched the air.

I continue to punch the air as there is great work going on in Scotland in Wales in Northern Ireland. And there is a generation of younger care leavers who are walking tall into society demanding to be heard to be seen and… ultimately… what we all wanted… to be loved… to love ourselves… and to love others...