A Heartfelt Journey to Westminster: Championing Childcare for Every Family

Last week, I took a journey that began in my heart but led me straight to the doors of power—meeting with Minister Stephen Morgan (DfE), Minister Alison McGovern (DWP), and other civil servants to discuss a cause close to many of us: improving childcare for families on benefits and low incomes, including those raising children with special needs.

As I sat in those official rooms, I wasn’t just representing myself. I was carrying the voices of countless parents—strong, resilient, and tired—whose daily lives are made harder by a system that often overlooks their struggles. I spoke passionately about how Universal Credit could better support childcare needs. Suggestions included increasing upfront childcare support, making payments more flexible, and ensuring specialist childcare provisions for children with additional needs.

But what moved me most wasn’t the political discussions. It was the raw emotion in the room when the parents began to speak. One by one, they shared stories of battling to find affordable childcare, losing job opportunities, and facing mental health strains. Some wept. Others clenched fists in frustration. But all spoke with a depth of honesty that silenced the room.

The Ministers and other attending representatives responded with unexpected empathy. They nodded. They listened. Some even took notes. Minister Morgan made it clear he recognised the systemic barriers and assured us that our voices were not falling on deaf ears. There was a real sense of engagement, not just formality.

As I left Parliament, I carried a strange mix of emotions—exhaustion, pride, but most of all, hope. That the cries of parents, long muted by bureaucracy, are finally being heard.

We are not there yet. But we are seen. And that’s the first step.