Barry Keoghan has joined forces with the British Government to improve children’s social care.
Along with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the actor is campaigning for all children across the globe to have the right to a safe and loving family environment. The pair visited Bulgaria on Friday (January 17) to push for the reform.
“These are the moments I am incredibly grateful and appreciative of to be able to use my platform to shine a light on the care system that means so much to me and I can only hope to help improve it,” Keoghan said in a statement (via GOV.UK).
“The Foreign Secretary is such a wonderful man and together we both can share our stories and upbringing by coming together to do everything we can to make sure all care systems function in the interest of children around the globe and that no child is left behind.”
As part of the campaign, the UK will lead a new global alliance to advocate for sustainable, lasting reform of children’s social care around the world. Six countries across four continents have already signed up to this alliance and have committed to pushing for progress on the issue.
Partners of the campaign include UNICEF, the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, Paraguay, Philippines and Rwanda.
As per the press release, the campaign will aim to “strengthen families to prevent child separation and championing alternative forms of family-based care, such as kinship care, where a child is cared for by a family member, relative or friend. The alliance marks the first step in the Foreign Secretary’s campaign to progressively end the institutionalisation of children, which is up to five times more costly than family-based care. This will be followed by the launch of a Global Charter later this year.”
Lammy said: “Every child deserves a loving and safe family environment where they can thrive and get the best start in life. Too many children are facing a life of neglect and abuse in harmful institutions such as orphanages, which do not have children’s best interest at heart.
“I am proud to drive this global campaign alongside Barry, who has first-hand experience of growing up in the care system.”
In December, Keoghan opened up about the “disgusting” harassment he has recently received from members of the public. The Saltburn and The Banshees Of Inisherin star was at the centre of unwanted attention after reports emerged that he and Sabrina Carpenter had broken separated.