Another Forgotten Child by Cathy Glass
Publisher: Harper Element
Pages: 304
Format: book
Buy the Book: Amazon
Goodreads: Eight-year-old Aimee was on the child protection register at birth. Her school repeatedly reported concerns about her bruises. And her five older half-siblings were taken into care many years ago. So no one can understand why she was left at home to suffer for so long. It seems Aimee was the forgotten child.
The social services are looking for a very experienced foster carer to look after Aimee and, when she reads the referral, Cathy understands why. Despite her reservations, Cathy agrees to Aimee on – there is something about her that reminds Cathy of Jodie (the subject of ‘Damaged’ and the most disturbed child Cathy has cared for), and reading the report instantly tugs at her heart strings.
When she arrives, Aimee is angry. And she has every right to be. She has spent the first eight years of her life living with her drug-dependent mother in a flat that the social worker described as ‘not fit for human habitation’. Aimee is so grateful as she snuggles into her bed at Cathy’s house on the first night that it brings Cathy to tears.
Kritters Thoughts: My first book written by Cathy Glass and most certainly not my last. I loved her inside look to a foster care system that still has some work to do, but despite its faults is in general doing good work taking care of children when a family may not have the full capacity. I fell in love with Aimee and loved the honesty that Cathy provided in sharing her story with the ups and the many downs.
There were moments where I wish this book wasn't true because the amount of abuse that Cathy had to endure while trying to keep Aimee was safe was beyond understanding; I understand the mother's frustration with not being able to provide a safe home for her child, but she abused Cathy the foster carer just as much as she did Aimee. The law to allow contact between the child and their natural parent doesn't seem to help the foster care process, maybe this needs to be reviewed. Because this book provided an honest opinion from her side of the aisle, I feel like it could be used in discussion in concerns about foster legislation and in training potential foster families.
I was definitely affected by this book and wanted to share it with many others because there are definitely children in each country who need help and their families need intervention - this issue needs attention across the globe.
Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The tour schedule:
Monday, February 25th: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books
Tuesday, February 26th: Tiffany’s Bookshelf
Wednesday, February 27th: The Road to Here
Thursday, February 28th: she treads softly
Wednesday, March 6th: Another Small Adventure
Thursday, March 7th: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, March 13th: Brooklyn Berry Designs
Thursday, March 14th: A Little Time, A Little Miracle
Friday, March 15th: A Little Time, A Little Miracle
Tuesday, March 19th: Stare if You Must
Wednesday, March 20th: Adoption and Foster Care
Wow, it sounds like the legally-required relationship between the birth mother and the child severely complicated things for the child and the foster mother. What a heartbreaking story!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts on this book for the tour.