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Ellen Roome MBE

I am a mother on a mission to find answers for my son, Jools, and to make sure no other family is left searching for the truth after losing a child.  Jools was my only child. He died in April 2022.

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In the days that followed, I discovered something that shocked me. The systems we rely on to investigate a child’s death are not equipped for a digital world.  Social media companies hold critical information about what children see, share and are exposed to online.
Yet in practice, that data can be lost within hours or days, often before families or coroners even know what to ask for.

I was left without answers.  That is why I founded Jools’ Law.

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Turning Pain into Purpose

What began as a personal search for answers has become a national campaign for change.

Jools’ Law calls for the automatic preservation of a child’s digital data after death, so that vital evidence is not lost and the truth can be properly understood.  This work will not change what happened to Jools.  But it can change what happens next for other families.

For me, this is about turning grief into action.  Using my voice, my time and my experience to protect other children and prevent more families from facing the same unanswered questions.

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Driving Change

Jools’ Law is now influencing real legislative progress in the UK.

Through sustained campaigning and working alongside parliamentarians, including Baroness Kidron and others, the Government is moving to amend the Crime and Policing Bill to reflect its core principle:

 

A child’s digital evidence must be preserved after death.

This change will:

• Protect vital evidence in the earliest stages

• Support coroners in properly investigating deaths

• Give families a better chance of understanding what happened

• Help identify harmful online content to prevent future tragedies

 

Why the System Must Change

There is currently no automatic process to preserve a child’s online data.

Existing systems rely on:

• Knowing which platforms to contact

• Understanding what data exists

• Acting quickly enough before it is deleted

In reality, this often does not happen. Parents may not have access to devices or accounts.
Content is pushed by algorithms, not searched for.  Investigations can be delayed while data disappears.

Without immediate action, critical evidence can be lost forever.

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From One Voice to a National Movement

Jools’ Law began with a petition.

With just nine days remaining before a general election, I needed 100,000 signatures for Parliament to debate it.

With the help of people who shared Jools’ story, it reached 126,033 signatures.

It was debated in Parliament and marked the beginning of real change.

Since then, I have worked with ministers, peers and other bereaved families to push for accountability and reform.

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Recognition

On 30th December 2025, I was awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours List for services to children’s online safety.

This recognition belongs to every family who has stood alongside this campaign.

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Why This Matters

No parent should have to fight for answers about their child’s final moments.
No coroner should have to work without access to vital evidence.
No child’s death should go unexplained because data was lost.

Jools’ Law is simple:

Preserve the data.
Find the truth.
Protect other children.

Working With Others

• Click or Quit (1decision)
  https://www.1decision.co.uk/click-or-quit

• Papyrus – Prevention of Young Suicide
  https://www.papyrus-uk.org

• Bereaved Families for Online Safety
  https://www.bereavedfamiliesforonlinesafety.org