Looked After Boy

This was an emotional, heartbreaking read at times. Joe is a wonderful character who faces heartbreak at every turn. All he wants is to get his family back together but he meets obstacles at every turn. We really get to see Joe's character, his caring nature, his determination to succeed. Lynda Brennan really understands the history of the care system too and how it has failed so many innocent children allowing many to fall through the cracks, suffer neglect and become forever entwined in a life of care for them and their offspring. Although upsetting, I really championed Joe and won't forget him in a hurry.

Joe and his brothers and sisters suffer at the hands of an emotionally and physically abusive father with no end in sight. The system fails him and his siblings and they are all place in care, separated from each other. Things go from bad to worse as we see what can happen to young people when placed in care and lost in the system, failed by those who should be looking out for them most. A harrowing story of a boy's attempts to cope with life in care. A must read for young people and educators alike.

This book is brilliant, but absolutely tragic. The author has worked as a teacher and is a foster carer, suggesting that while this is a work of fiction, it is surely influenced by her experiences and this just makes it more harrowing. I work in education and so have had training on county lines but reading this story makes it far more real, because we see everything from Joe's point of view. The story follows a family and the abuse that the children and mother experience at the hands of the father. I don't want to say much more because I think this book was even more powerful for encountering events as Joe experienced them, but I will say that I hope Pete's character is based on someone real. Every child, particularly those in foster care, deserve someone like him in their corner.