Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor grew up in the UK care system and struggled with a lack of family, unconditional love, and care, which threw him into the arms of some dangerous situations. Today, though, he’s an award- winning non-fiction writer represented by Curtis Brown, an acclaimed music producer and industry leader, and is currently studying at the University of Oxford. This is not the usual story of what happens to kids who grew up in children’s homes.

On his Substack, Underclass Hero, Matt writes creative non-fiction and personal essays exploring his time in the care system and the struggles of being a care leaver in the creative industries through themes of identity, demonisation, and unconditional love. Notable favourites are: “I Met My Younger Self for Coffee”, “Photos Define a Person”, and ‘Pushed or Pulled’.

Matt is also writing a memoir from his time in the care system. Structured through the outcomes of the Every Child Matters Policy, he explores what a lack of unconditional love does to a child and suggests how the state can deliver on its promises. He’s looking for a publisher who’d like to take it on.

Matt was in the 2024/25 cohort of A Writing Chance, on the Substack strand.