Education and Care
On the eve of a new chapter
Dear friends,
Sharing some Sunday morning thoughts.
On Thursday night, at the Annual ‘Mayor-Making’ Meeting of Southwark Council, I was humbled and honoured to be appointed Executive Member for Education and Care, and this is a job that I will start tomorrow—and, in a sense, have been preparing for, for a long time.
I’m always struck by this idea that everything you’ve done in life, every decision, every experience, has led you to this moment, now—and I am really feeling that today.
I’m remembering the work overseas: working with women and girls in Cambodia, on disability access in Kosovo, on social reconstruction in Rwanda; working on humanitarian access and with children affected by conflict in Sudan and South Sudan; on child rights and access to education in Afghanistan; and over the years working on human rights in and on many different places—including Colombia, the occupied Palestinian territory, Syria and Yemen, the pacific; as well as working with refugees and displaced people.
I’m remembering the work here in the UK, with people who are homeless or struggling, people who have experienced violence or abuse, those with disabilities, those who are carers. I’m particularly remembering all the work as an advocate for young people, and especially for children in care and care leavers, here in Southwark.
I’m thinking about my niece, the children of my friends here, and far away, and my cousins and wider family, how all these wonderful young people are growing into themselves, discover who they are, develop their own passions, skills, opinions and values, and seeing the hopes that the adults around them have, and worries too. Getting to know each child or young person gives a new appreciation for how precious childhood is, and how much of our future is shaped by the experiences, opportunities, encouragement and support we receive—when we are young, and throughout life.
I’m also remembering my own childhood, my first years just down the road in Bromley and memories of my playgroup there, and growing up, all the adventures with my family travelling around different countries in our ‘veedub’, my experience of schools, and things I experienced as a teenager, or when I left school and became an engineer at first—and later as an older student, and as a student leader. How important all these moments of learning have been. Including all the learning now, too.
And back to the here and now, over the past weeks, listening to my community, on doorsteps and in community meetings, sitting on benches and speaking with my neighbours, hearing what matters to people, what they struggle with, what they hope for. Everything that has brought me to this moment, getting ready for a new chapter serving my community: education and care, belonging, protection, safety, community and hope.
This photo I’m sharing is one of the moments along the way that has brought me to today, and a memory I carry with me. This was taken in a War Child child safe space and learning centre in South Sudan in 2021 (during covid times, hence the mask), it was a visit to a UNICEF-supported project. I had been welcomed in and was sitting on the floor in the small hut with a corrugated iron roof, while a group of boys sat around me with colouring pencils and paper.
They started drawing houses, and I’ve thought about that moment and what it meant often since then. What they were drawing was not just houses but homes, and hope, in a situation of conflict, displacement and uncertainty: they drew safety, stability, structure and love; somewhere to belong, somewhere to be protected, somewhere to grow, and somewhere to be safe amongst family. I was very sad to leave this place, this work, and the children there—and I will always carry the lessons and memories, of these moments and of these children and many more, with me.
Tomorrow I begin a new chapter here in Southwark; my home.
This role means I take responsibility for leading strategic direction for education and care in Southwark Council. I’m really conscious of the hugely experienced and generous team we are surrounded by in this work. There is so much that happens day to day in the council that we aren’t usually aware of—and it’s a huge honour now to be working with teams in education, child protection, fostering and adoption, social care, support for refugees and asylum seekers, all-age disability support, inclusion, and care for older people. Looking forward to working with this talented team, and looking forward too to working alongside my colleague Suzanne Wise, who will have a particular focus on adult social care—and the wider team in the Green Group, the joint administration, and the wider community.
I am really excited to be working with Southwark’s schools. Schools are really at the heart of our communities, and they are about so much more than exams and qualifications. They are places where children discover who they are, develop confidence, encounter new ideas, new people and friendships, and begin to imagine their futures as part of a community and the wider world. For some children, schools are an extension of the sense of belonging and protection found at home; for others, schools are the main place that provides that; and for some, school isn’t a happy place to be or learning isn’t as accessible as it should be. For some children, for many different reasons, home schooling is the norm. But in every case, education is about more than attainment. It is about finding belonging and place in the world, developing confidence and curiosity, building relationships, participating in the community, learning about each other, and imagining a future.
Southwark is strong and diverse, and that is one of the things I love most about living here. This is a place shaped by centuries of migration, and by hard-won rights and dignity. It has become a Borough of Sanctuary amidst a time of growing division, hostility and hatred, and that is not always easy. We are so many different communities and traditions, and yet we are one.
I was born just down the road, so this has always been my home—and in a sense, I’m also arriving from overseas too. Not only because I’ve spent so long working in countries affected by conflict and disasters that cause people to flee. But also because my own life is closely connected to people who have arrived here from overseas. My neighbours are a mix of people who have lived here for generations and those who have arrived here from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean.
Just as I saw in my work, where it was often the countries, communities and families struggling the most that showed the greatest empathy, generosity and hospitality, to people displaced, also struggling. I see that same dynamic around me here too. Among my neighbours in the social housing block where I live, are people who foster, who open their homes and their hearts, and give care to children who are not able to live with their birth families.
I am also so excited to get to know and work alongside the many wonderful families, carers, community groups, disability organisations, foster carers and organisations, social workers, teachers, support staff and volunteers. The strength of Southwark comes from the thousands of people who show up every day for each other, neighbours and communities, for children and young people, for older people, for people who face disability or exclusion, for people who have arrived here seeking sanctuary from conflict and persecution.
As Greens, we often talk about creating a borough where everyone can thrive, and about a different kind of politics: truly community-led change. For me, that means recognising that people do best when they feel safe, valued, connected and able to participate in the life of their community. It’s about that sense of care and belonging, being included, valued, and safe. Whether you are a child starting school, a young person finding your way in the world, a refugee building a new life, a disabled resident needing to access services or move around, or an older person wanting to remain active and connected to the community, everyone should have the opportunity to flourish. Everyone should feel this is a safe space, their place; home.
I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity, aware of the responsibility and the challenges—and very much looking forward to getting started tomorrow.
With love to you all, and thank you for all of your support along the way.
❤️🌱
(Photo: UNICEF / War Child, child safe space and learning centre, Bor, South Sudan, November 2021)
