Martin Barrow Profile picture
Sep 15, 2020 10 tweets 2 min read Read on X
40 years ago this week, I landed in the UK, alone, still only 18, with my life packed into a small, battered suitcase. I had no plan, just a promise to keep as many miles as possible between me and my parents. (Thread) 1/
It was a rubbish time to come to England to try your luck. This was Thatcher’s Britain, with millions out of work. I spoke poor English and had no qualifications after dropping out of school. 2/
But I hustled my way into jobs, stacking shelves, clearing gardens and working in a print shop. I lived in digs with the sweetest, older couple who treated me with kindness. I even returned briefly to school. 3/
I began writing for the local paper, the Hayling Islander, covering golden wedding anniversaries and fetes. I got around town on an old red postie’s bike held together with wire and sticky tape. Then another local paper offered me an actual job. 4/
Eventually, I blagged my way into The Times. I expected to last just a few months before being found out, but ended up staying for almost 25 years. 5/
My greatest fortune was meeting some amazing people early on, including my wife-to-be. She was there when I couldn’t afford to pay the rent and or find work. But she has always believed in me. 6/
She is by my side now, mum to two daughters, a grandmother and a ’mum’ to 20 foster children, most of whom are still part of our large, rumbustious family. 7/
I realise this is a shit time to be young and uncertain. These days remind me of when I pitched up here, all those years ago, overwhelmed at times by what the future may hold. 8/
I know that one day you too will look back, with no small amount of wonder, and see how it all panned out for you and your loved ones. FWIW, my advice is to find people you can trust and love, and keep plugging away at what you believe. 9/
Stay true to yourself. But if you can’t, remember that you can always find your way back. And don't take no for an answer. 10/ends

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More from @MartinBarrow

Mar 25
Private equity and offshore investors continue to extract millions of pounds from children’s homes and foster care, even as the cost of children’s social care pushes councils into bankruptcy. 🧵
Newly-published financial accounts for CareTech, the biggest private provider, reveal that it charged councils £575 million for care and education for vulnerable children and young people in ONE YEAR.
But £136 million was used to meet ‘financial expenses’, which means that around £1 in every £5 intended to support young people disappears into the pockets of money men. In addition, the executive chairman of CareTech, Farouq Sheikh, kept his pay at more than £1 million yet again
Read 16 tweets
Dec 1, 2022
The care system for children and young people is in crisis. But private companies continue to earn millions of pounds from children in care and investors pocket funding that should be spent on families. Keys Group is the latest company to reveal another leap in profits. 🧵
Keys, owned by private equity, is responsible for the lives of more than `1,200 children and young people in care. Its latest accounts show that local authorities paid it almost £119 million for care and education last year. The accounts are here …te.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/106253…
The ‘business’ of care is hugely profitable for Keys. Its underlying profits were £24.7 million. That’s a return of 21% on the fees paid by councils.
Read 14 tweets
Nov 22, 2022
Four more inadequate children’s homes flagged by Ofsted today in inspection reports. A disgrace.
Read 4 tweets
Nov 18, 2022
New Ofsted report published today shows how the 'market' in children's homes and foster care has failed vulnerable children: Local authorities having to find homes for children at the ‘last minute’
gov.uk/government/new…
Local councils have few children's homes (and some have none at all). They mostly rely on private companies, providing homes for profit. These are the consequences.
Ofsted found:
- Providers now have more power in the market and are able to choose which children they take.
- A lack of sufficient provision means that many local authorities often do not follow their own strategy when making decisions.
Read 12 tweets
Nov 17, 2022
New data on children in care has been published by @educationgovuk today. You can read it here: …e-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistic…
Some key numbers follow 🧵
Factors to bear in mind:
- The pandemic weighs heavily on comparisons for the previous year.
- The number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children is up 10% for the year prior to the pandemic.
- Staying Put is giving more young people a chance to stay in care for longer.
The number of children in care in England rose 2% to 82,170 over the previous year.
The number of children starting care rose 9% to 31,010.
The number of children ceasing care rose 7% to 30,070.
Read 14 tweets
Nov 17, 2022
The Office for Students has published new data on outcomes, including those with care experience. @HoyleTime has a great🧵on this but the headline data is: Image
@HoyleTime Data on household residual income is relevant in this context: data says the more money you have the better you do (unsurprisingly) Image
Estrangement from parents is also a drag on outcomes: Image
Read 5 tweets

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