IRISH ACTOR BARRY Keoghan is to lead a campaign to advocate for family-based care for children worldwide, alongside the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Lammy announced the UK government’s plan today, which aims at working with governments around the world “to progressively end the use of children’s institutions”.

A statement from Lammy’s office said: “The Foreign Secretary and actor Barry Keoghan will push for every child across the globe to have the right to a safe and loving family environment on a visit to Bulgaria today.”

“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,” the statement said.

Lammy posted a video of the two speaking about the project on X today, in which he asked Keoghan about his experience of growing up in the care system in Ireland. 

Keoghan said he had lived in 13 different homes while in the care of the state growing up. 

Making sure every child grows up in a safe and loving family environment is personal to me.

It is great to be working with @BarryKeoghan on reforming children’s social care around the world. pic.twitter.com/jVjHyaeQN7

— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) January 17, 2025

Speaking today, Barry Keoghan said: “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 also said that David Lammy “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”. 

Six countries have signed up to the alliance “and are committed to driving forward progress on this issue”, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office statement said. 

Partners in the UK’s initiative include UNICEF, the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, and the states of Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, Paraguay, Philippines and Rwanda.

The goals of the initiative include “strengthening 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”.

In Bulgaria, Lammy and Keoghan will attend a working lunch with Bulgarian Social and Labour Policy, Health and Education Ministers alongside UNICEF and civil society experts.

Keoghan and the foreign secretary will visit two children centres, where they will hear about efforts to prevent family separation and speak directly to children and foster parents, the department said.