On Friday 30th May, charity Coram Voice announced the winners of Voices 2025, its national writing competition for children in care and young care leavers. The evening was hosted by broadcaster, TV presenter, author and inspirational speaker Ashley John-Baptiste, who is care-experienced, alongside former Voices competition winner, Ira Hakim, at Kimpton Fitzroy London. 

Now in its ninth year, the Voices competition, sponsored by UK management consultancy Cadence Innova, part of Transform, is a unique and celebratory platform for children and young people in or leaving care to communicate their feelings creatively and contribute to the wider understanding of what it means to be care-experienced. With poems that were described as “masterful” and “emotionally rich” by judges including Baroness Lola Young and children’s author Patrice Lawrence, the young finalists impressed the audience with their enormous potential and talent.  

Ashley John-Baptiste said: “I’m passionate about the outcomes for young people who have been through the care system and giving them opportunities to unlock their ambitions and potential. That’s why I’m proud to support and host Voices. The competition is proof that there is immense untapped talent and that every child in care should dream big. It has been an honour to read their words and see so many young people performing live.” 

To celebrate Coram Voice’s 50th year, the theme of this year’s competition was ‘My Voice’, and 25 children and young people were shortlisted across four age categories: primary (age 4-10), lower secondary (age 11-14), upper secondary (age 15-17) and care leavers (age 18-25).   

The Voices 2025 winners are:   

Winner of the Primary category: ‘My Voice’ by Aymen, age 9  

Judges LoveReading4Kids' MD Deborah Maclaren and author Patrice Lawrence said: “This is an awesome, bright, imaginative piece full of wonder and emotion. We loved how the writer compares their voice to the sun with a positive, hopeful and clever use of metaphor that runs throughout the whole poem. We are sunstruck and delighted to announce this young writer as the winner of the primary category”. 

Winner of the Lower Secondary category: ‘My Voice: a journey from silence to song’ by Elizabeth, age 12 

Judges Emma Norry and Callen Martin said: “This is an incredibly profound and beautifully written piece. At just 12 years old, the writer shows a level of emotional maturity and insight that is truly remarkable. The title “A Journey from Silence to Song” is stunningly metaphorical, capturing the transition from uncertainty to self-acceptance in a way that will deeply resonate with many care-experienced individuals. The writing skilfully portrays the duality of emotions — belonging and longing, silence and voice — with great sensitivity. The final line, “A voice that tells the world I am whole, I belong, and I will always be heard,” is an incredibly powerful expression of hope, identity, and strength.” 

Winner of the Upper Secondary category: ‘at last, he speaks’ by Mateo, age 17   

Judges Kirsty Capes and Jordan Morgan said: “This poem is deeply moving and thought-provoking. Their use of metaphors, repetition and imagery is striking and really emphasises the poem’s emotional depth and raw honesty. The judges agreed that it should be shared with professionals across the sector to help them understand the impact of trauma, and the huge amount of work that is necessary to begin the healing process. The writer has clearly been brave enough to embark on this journey themselves, and it is an honour that they have shared this with us in such a raw and emotive form.”  

Winner of the Care Leaver category: ‘The voice inside of me’ by Kerry, age 20 

Judges Baroness Lola Young and Chris Wild said: “This piece was intelligent, original, and beautifully crafted. The rhythm and rhyme flowed effortlessly, enhancing the emotional weight behind each word. With a poetic and layered approach, the writer explored voice in a way that felt both original and deeply intentional. The imagery was striking, the structure strong, and the sense of self unmistakable. This was a moving and masterful journey through language—one that left a lasting impression on everyone who read it. An exceptional piece, full of heart and skill.”   

Brigid Robinson, Managing Director of Coram Voice, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to read these poems, stories, essays and songs. This year’s theme, ‘My Voice’, resonates with Coram Voice’s 50th anniversary. These powerful pieces of writing go to the heart of Coram Voice’s work and show us what is possible when children and young people are given the opportunity to use their voice and be heard. A huge thank you to all the children and young people who have shared their writing and brought us into their worlds.  We are so proud of all of you, and we know that so many others will be inspired by their stories.”  

Gita Singham-Willis, Founding Partner at Cadence Innova, part of Transform, and trustee of Coram, said: “Huge congratulations to all the children and young people who entered the competition this year. As always, we’ve been amazed at the talent and standard of writing. We are especially proud to support the Voices competition this year as Coram Voice celebrates 50 years of giving children and young people in care a voice. Voices is an inspiring competition that champions children’s creativity and enables them to express themselves – a purpose very close to our heart at Cadence Innova as we continue our mission drive positive change for individuals and society as a whole.” 

For more information on the competition and to read the shortlisted pieces, please visit https://coramvoice.org.uk/get-involved/voices-writing-competition/.