Sue Wright obituary

My sister, Sue Wright, who has died aged 57, devoted her life to raising awareness about fostering and adoption as well as practising as a child protection barrister and becoming a successful businesswoman. Our upbringing was unhappy and Sue went into foster care aged 16, but the placement did not work out; by the age of 17 she was living in a Salvation Army-run establishment with a 17-year-old flatmate, living on a £40 a week allowance. From 1982 to 1984 she found part-time work cooking and cleaning in a nursing home in Southport. It was owned by a Mrs Smythe, who welcomed her in, saying: “There’s always more room at the table.” This became Sue’s own mantra and the title of the speech she delivered to conferences and corporate audiences to raise awareness of the need for more foster carers and adoptive parents. Born in Liverpool, Sue was the daughter of Ann (nee Clayton), who worked for the council, and John Sherman, employed in logistics. Sue went to Stanley high school, Southport, and having left with no qualifications, was determined to become a barrister so that she should stand up for others without a voice. She put herself through college and night school to gain some O-leve