Ashley John-Baptiste explores the experiences of siblings in care

By Gemma Raw

​Photo credit: BBC

In a documentary for BBC Three, journalist and TV presenter Ashley John-Baptiste draws on his own experience of growing up in foster care believing he was an only child. He was placed in the care system as a toddler and by the age of 18, had lived with four different foster families and in a residential care home in south-east London. When he was in his mid-20s, Ashley received a message on Facebook from his older brother. For most people that would be a routine social media interaction. However, for Ashley it came as something of shock, mainly because he wasn't aware that he even had an older brother, let alone other siblings too.

"I am baffled that none of my social workers seemed to know about the existence of my siblings," said Ashley. When he spoke to one of his former social workers, she was also surprised to hear that he had a brother, although she said that files and information gathering had come a long way since Ashley was in care. She also pointed out that birth parents or other family members often withhold information about children who are taken into care.

"Meeting my brother made me imagine how things could have been if I'd had regular contact with my siblings during all the twists and turns of care, " explained Ashley. "Imagine if I'd had someone like that to talk to, someone to see me grow up, it would have been a lifeline."

A national perspective

With his personal experience, Ashley was the natural choice to front a documentary which presents a national perspective on the issue of siblings in care. The BBC sent more than 200 Freedom of Information requests to UK councils. Three quarters of those contacted responded, showing that around 45% of sibling groups in care are split up, with more than 12,000 children being separated from at least one of their siblings. "We are very, very stretched," commented Suanne Lim, Director of Children's Social Care at Derby City Council. "There have been year-on-year cuts to services that we are delivering and yet demand is rising."

Scotland leads the way

In July last year, the Scottish Government introduced new rules to protect sibling relationships for children in care. Local authorities have a duty to ensure siblings are supported to stay together, where appropriate. Where it's not appropriate, steps should be taken to help them stay in regular touch with each other and to nurture their relationships.

"We know through speaking to children and young people that the relationships with their brothers and sisters are vital to their sense of belonging and to their wellbeing," said Children's Minister Clare Haughey. "Thankfully, most siblings who experience care away from home are now placed together, but where that is not possible, it is important that those precious bonds are protected and nurtured through spending time with each other."

Ashley's documentary, Split up in Care: Life Without Siblings is available on iPlayer.