Angels with Dirty Faces: Five Inspiring Stories

These books are works of non-fiction based on the author’s experiences. In order to protect privacy, names, identifying characteristics, dialogue and details have been changed or reconstructed.

HarperElement

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The Little Princess first published by HarperElement 2016

No Place for Nathan first published by HarperElement 2014

Daddy’s Boy first published by HarperElement 2016

The Wild Child first published by HarperElement 2015

Scarlett’s Secret first published by HarperElement 2014

This collection first published by HarperElement 2017

FIRST EDITION

© Casey Watson 2016, 2014, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2017

Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers 2017

Cover photograph © Shutterstock.com

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Casey Watson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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Source ISBNs: 9780008142711; 9780007543106; 9780008142704; 9780007543113; 9780007544202

Ebook Edition © November 2017 ISBN: 9780008274771

Version: 2018-01-17

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

The Little Princess

No Place for Nathan

Daddy’s Boy

The Wild Child

Scarlett’s Secret

Casey Watson

Moving Memoirs eNewsletter

About the Publisher

Introduction

Dear readers,

I’m excited to share with you a collection of short stories about some of the children who have briefly passed through our lives yet left a lasting impression. Although Mike and I are specialist carers, and ideally are meant to look after children for much longer periods of resettling, we are often asked to take in emergency or short-term children in between placements. We love doing this, of course, and through it we have met some delightful new people, both of the little variety (the children) and the larger kind (social workers and new teams of staff), whom we otherwise wouldn’t have met.

These shorter placements can bring a feeling of achievement, when we’ve been able to play some part in helping a particular young person in need, but they can often leave us feeling sad and discontented that we’ve only been a stop-gap, a stepping stone on a much longer journey that we won’t be part of. That, unfortunately, is the nature of the beast, and we are well aware that fostering doesn’t always guarantee a happy ending. But it doesn’t stop us from hoping and trying.

When I was a small child I remember watching a James Cagney film with my grandmother called Angels with Dirty Faces. That film – and the morals behind it – have always stayed with me; the idea that circumstances determine what will become of us and our ability to change lives. I often think of our foster children as angels with dirty faces, and although I am neither a racketeer nor a priest, I like to think that I can play a small role in helping these kids move on to lead stable, happy lives.

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