Ellen Roome has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours List in recognition of her campaigning fight for Jools' Law, which aims to strengthen parental rights and child protection in the digital age, following the death of her son, Jools Sweeney.
Announced on 30 December 2025, Ellen said in a LinkedIn post: 'I find myself wondering what Jools, this beautiful boy of mine, would think about his mum, me, receiving an MBE.
'It STILL hasn’t quite sunk in. I’m just little me, trying to bring real change to protect children online, and to ensure no other parent is left to live our nightmare. I hope Jools would understand that this was never about recognition.
It was about love and not walking away or giving up, despite how hard it has been.'
Ellen’s campaign began after Jools died in April 2022 at the age of 14. Although Jools ended his own life, the coroner was unable to formally rule the death as a suicide, leaving Ellen searching for answers about the circumstances that led to his death.
During this process, Ellen discovered that parents have no automatic legal right to access their child’s social media data, even when the child is a minor. She has spoken publicly about her shock that potentially vital information, which could help families understand what happened to their children and identify online risks, is often inaccessible and controlled by technology companies.
Since then, Ellen has become a leading voice calling for changes to the law, arguing that greater transparency and parental access to data could help protect children, identify harmful online activity and prevent further tragedies. Her work has helped bring national attention to gaps in online safety, parental rights, and the responsibilities of social media platforms.
The honour was announced in the King’s Honours List and recognises Ellen’s determination to turn personal loss into meaningful change aimed at safeguarding children and supporting families navigating the digital world.
An MBE, or Member of the Order of the British Empire, is a national honour awarded by the King to individuals who have made a significant and sustained contribution to society or public life.
