Abby's Story

Thrown Away Children, Book 2

De: Louise Allen

Narrado por: Melanie Crawley

Abby's Story is the second book in the Thrown Away Children series by author and foster mum Louise Allen.

She doesn't want this baby. She can't look after this baby. She will never be able to love this baby. Little Abby's life begins badly, then just gets worse. Now foster mum Louise and her family must help her deal with the truth of her past to give her the chance of a future.

©2020 Louise Allen (P)2021 W. F. Howes Ltd

Excellent

Couldn't wait to see what happens to Abby. Louise is someone we all need behind us!

Wow

As a former CPS social worker in the USA, I am absolutely disgusted. We treated our foster parents like royalty (because the good ones were!). Never would I have placed such a challenging and traumatized child in a home with other children. I hope all the workers mentioned in this story were charged and never able to work with children again. It is a VERY difficult job but you must always consider what is best for the child! Poor Louise and her family. They are such wonderful humans. I never expected a foster parent to bring children for contacts. Often they would, but if they weren’t able, I would go pick up the child and bring them to the office. I forced through stipends and ensured the FPs got everything they could from the slow moving system. Also, FPs could call the office at any time and we would go pick up the child if needed. Like when a new foster parent accepted a newborn still going through withdrawals and was just too exhausted to keep going. I picked that poor baby up at 3am and stayed at the office caring for the little one until I could locate a new home. Also, why on earth would they order contact for an adoptive mom who had given the child up?!! Once TPR (termination of parental rights) is done there is never contact. Ugggh! What horrible social workers and managers!!!!

I love Louise Allen's books!!!

She is a wonderful writer. these stories are so informative detailed and well written A+ all the way around..

Amazing author

Absolutely love the throw away child series as I was a thrown away child!!!
I also had a Louise Allen that took me and cared for me until I was an adult. Every story hits home every time.
Louise, keep up the good work. I can’t wait to read (listen) to Sparkle. Love Melanie Crawley as a narrator !!!!

Enlightening

Fascinating story told by a Foster Parent. It important for these type of stories to be documented as they are an excellent resource for those who may be considering fostering a child. Stories like these prove that a foster parent has to be prepared to meet the incoming child exactly where they are not so they know just how hard they will have to love them.

Absolutely amazing.

While the stories are sad, they need to be told. I so appreciate that someone is willing to tell the stories.
The narrator does such a wonderful job.

I am a social worker, in America. Because of the difficulties and deficiencies with child protective service, I have refused to even look into that line of work. I am grateful for the people who do and for the families who provide support for the children in care.

never give up

love how the writer gives the ℹ️ from beginning of life info to post placement/adoptin.

Amazing story

I just love Louise Allen books! They're inspiring and heart breaking at the same time!

Well narrated

Such a sad and devastating story!My admiration for the Foster Carer, Louise, is unmeasurable….she is quite an amazing human!

THE WORLD NEEDS MORE LLOYD & LOUISE ALLENS!

They probably are too humble to agree, but I think Lloyd and Louise Allen (and their children) are truly remarkable people! They have taken in some pretty hard-to- manage foster children and with love, patience and understanding, have made a difference in the lives of children who have never really known before what it means to be shown kindness, respect, understanding or love.

Because Louise Allen was once herself a “throw away” child, she brings a unique understanding of these children to the table. While almost everyone else sees the outside of the child, and in Abby’s case, only sees the damage she causes and the constant havoc that exists whenever she is anywhere near, Louise looks deeper and asks, “WHY is this child acting the way they are? What traumas have they endured before they landed here with us? What is going on in their head?”

It would seem that the Foster Care system in Europe is struggling as much as the system in the USA is struggling. Both systems are overwhelmed with kids in need and are hampered by a shortage of QUALIFIED foster parents and a lack of funding. The budgets to care for these children gets cut more and more ever fiscal year. Social workers are expected to perform miracles with virtually nothing. Just as with school teachers, there is a tremendously high number of GOOD people who leave the social services field due to feeling overwhelmed, depressed and let down by the very agencies they work for. Their hands are tied tighter every time they turn around.

These special needs kids need EXPENSIVE services from an early age if intervention is going to do any good. Isn’t it better to pay for the needed services (whether it’s psychological, medical, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, some combination of services) EARLY in the child’s life rather than having problems worsen with time (and need more money to treat) and have to keep moving kids from placement to placement when foster parents throw their hands up in frustration and tell Social Services to take the child back because they just can’t cope any more?

Of course, failed placements are so terribly hard on a child’s psyche. How awful it must be to feel unloved and unwanted, and in some cases, moved from home to home when their behavioral issues are more that a foster parent is able to cope with.

The system is LOADED with booby traps that hurt every one involved. It’s a shame that our government doesn’t see the importance and the VALUE in investing MORE money in these children, not less.

Thank goodness that among all the poor foster parents out there, there are still gems like Louise Allen and her wonderfully supportive husband Lloyd out there too. The Lloyd’s approach foster care as a team. Their children try to be kind and accepting as well. If only all child carers were as committed…

Thank you Mrs. Allen for another great story! I wish ALL children stuck in the system could have the happy ending Abby did — how lucky she was to be adopted by an excellent, really dedicated social worker and her partner, a child psychologist! (It was a loss to both of their professions though as both decided before bringing Abby into their home to retire so they could devote ALL their time and experience to her). Abby had a very rough start to her life, but she couldn’t have asked to land in a better place!

The narration in this book was fantastic.👍. I would highly recommend this book.