What are some of your childhood memories? Could they bethings like a special birthday party, a family trip, a reward for anachievement? Sarah had her own set of childhood memories, a boy tied to achair, a dark leather belt, forgotten birthdays, being hungry, vacant eyes, andlost innocence. These are the memories that put dark clouds on her days, andcaused her to cry out in her dreams. These are the memories of a child living alife enveloped within ...

Karen McConnel earned a B.A. from the University of Toledo and her M.S.W. from the University of Alabama. She developed and coordinated a Therapeutic Foster Care Program and was Executive Director of a community-based agency providing services for runaway and homeless youth. Eileen Brand is a journalist and author whose work has been published in newspapers and journals in the US.

A young girl lives in fear of her abusive father....A powerful short tale. Based on a true story.

** Fair warning: This is a true story of sexual abuse, drugs, rape, betrayal and triumph ****Warning:This book contains crude language and is not for the faint of heart**As I sat down to write this story about my life, I had to think a long time about how to start my story.I learned early that you cannot substitute water for milk on cereal so when there was no milk in the house, I just ate it dry.Dad was pretty cranky just as a general rule. He’d come home f...

A heartbreaking and shocking short story from foster carer Rosie Lewis.Toddler Charlie falls from the second floor window of his tower block home while his mother is busy shooting up in their dirty council flat.Laying alone on a pile of rubbish until concerned neighbours hear him whimpering, Charlie is taken to hospital by police officers who are unable to rouse his mother.With a gash to his head, a terrified Charlie is delivered to foster carer Rosie Lewis’s home. ...

A bullying and sexually abusing father produced videos of his terrified 5 year old daughter for over 5 years to sell internationally to satisfy a network of child porn lovers. Read here in short but gripping detail how Bart Huskey met his match at the hands of cops in cyberspace.In 1996 Robin read a newspaper report about the alleged suicide of Victorian country housewife Jennifer Tanner. Guessing there might be a book in the 'story behind the news', she closed her PR business for ...

Casey tells the harrowing story of Connor, an eight year old boy from a broken home who comes to stay with her family.It’s a Saturday morning when Casey and Mike are asked to take in eight year old Connor – an emergency placement, just for a couple of days, following a violent incident at his now former care home. And Casey’s instinct, as ever, is to say yes. With long term foster son Tyler off to football, and no particular plans for the weekend, even the fact that Connor arrives ...

"It's my 40th birthday today and I'm trying to smile, but as I look in the mirror all I can see is an empty shell, someone waiting to die... You could never tell that anything was wrong with me by just looking at me, as I dress clean and I keep myself tidy, and I have a smile on my face that hides my emotions and over the years I've become an expert at hiding behind it" This is the shocking true story of an innocent girl abused by the very people who said they would take good care of her. ...

Bestselling author and foster carer Casey Watson tells the heartbreaking true story of little Paulie, who is just five when he’s taken into care, in what looks like a tragic family breakdown.Already excluded from his nursery school, and deemed too immature yet for the infants, he’s already lashed out at his 18 month old half-brother, and now, after attacking and killing the family’s pet rabbit, he’s been given up by his mother and step-dad.Casey’s not used to fostering litt...

A difficult and distressing tale of a young boy who desperately needs to be loved.Nathan is a troubled young child. Disruptive, aggressive and, most disturbingly, prone to violent mood-swings Nathan soon finds himself in at the school’s behavioural unit, managed by Casey – Ms Watson to her students. What’s even more disturbing is Nathan’s split personalities; from Jenny with a bright blonde wig to sexually frustrated Jack, Nathan’s behaviour demonstrates some serious psychological ...

The third in a series of true short stories from foster carer Mia Marconi.Brody had been on the at-risk register since birth but was only removed from his alcoholic parents when he reached the age of six. Foster carer Mia Marconi was thrilled when he first arrived – a boy the same age as her son.It can be so bewildering for foster children when they arrive. The older ones are usually withdrawn and sullen. The younger ones will be screaming, spitting at you, making themselve...

The fourth in a series of true short stories from foster carer Mia Marconi.Kira first came to foster carer Mia Marconi’s home on respite care when she was three. She had suffered an unimaginable amount of abuse in her short life. Although she couldn’t tie her shoe laces, she could smash a room to pieces; she fought against everything like a wild cat.At the age of five Kira moved permanently to live with Mia and her family, but by the time she was nine years old the whole fa...