How a poet transformed a childhood in care into a life of public service

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Lemn Sissay spent his youth moving through four children's homes, abandoned by foster parents who once promised him a permanent home. Today, he is a celebrated poet, an OBE, and a former university chancellor who has turned his personal trauma into a powerful critique of the British care system.

Born in 1967 to an Ethiopian mother, Sissay was placed into foster care as an infant. His foster parents, who initially intended to adopt him, abruptly placed him in a children's home when he was 12 years old, severing all contact. This experience of institutionalization shaped his early life, leaving him to navigate the care system until he aged out at 17. It was only then that he discovered his birth certificate and a 1968 letter from his mother, Yemarshet Sissay, pleading for his return to his own people to spare him from discrimination.

Sissay’s path to prominence began at 17, when he used unemployment benefits to self-publish his first poetry pamphlet. By 21, he had reunited with his mother in the Gambia and released his first book. His career as a writer and broadcaster has been marked by a commitment to social issues, particularly the welfare of children in care. In 2015, he became chancellor of the University of Manchester, where he later launched a bursary to support Black male students in law, addressing a stark lack of representation he identified within the institution.

His work often bridges the gap between personal history and public advocacy. In 2015, he staged The Report, a show detailing the psychological impact of his upbringing, including diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and avoidant personality disorder. This led to a 2018 legal settlement with Wigan Council, which included a formal apology for his treatment. Today, Sissay remains a vocal critic of the care system, famously noting that the way a society treats its most vulnerable children serves as a definitive measure of its civilization.

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