Kate Kellaway talks to Samantha Morgan & Jenni Fagan about how both women have used their work to process childhoods ravaged by neglect and abuse. Meeting for the first time, they discuss survival and anger, Fagan’s new memoir, and the state of the UK’s care system today. The interview highlights the shared experiences and deep connection between writer Jenni Fagan and actor Samantha Morton, who meet to discuss Fagan’s memoir, Ootlin. Both women endured traumatic childhoods in the care system, marked by abuse, neglect, and instability—Morton had 12 foster placements, Fagan had 27 by age 16. Despite this, they have transformed their pain into art: Fagan through her novels and poetry, and Morton through acting and directing, including her film The Unloved. Their creative work explores themes of resilience and survival. Ultimately, Ootlin is described as a “lighthouse” offering hope to others, exemplifying the strength to find beauty and purpose amid suffering. Both Fagan and Morton are committed to shining a light on the care system’s shortcomings while celebrating the resilience of children who endure it.