Unwanted: The care system failed Lara. Will she fail her own child?

Cathy Glass

Jan 2023 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

Lara was seven when her birth mother died from a drug overdose. With no extended family to look after her, she was put into foster care. The care system failed Lara and now she is failing her son.

Lara and her one-year-old son, Arthur, are brought to experienced foster carer, Cathy Glass, by their social worker. Lara has fled an abusive relationship and Arthur has suspected non-accidental injuries. Cathy must monitor Lara whenever she is with her son, day and night. She cannot let them out of her sight for a minute.

Lara loves her son, but she puts her own needs first. Cathy must teach Lara how to care for Arthur, but will it be enough to allow her to keep him?

Ratings and reviews

Oh My God!... That last little sentence brought a tear to my eye 🥰🥰 so lovely as always a lovely memoir from Cathy 🤗 A really enjoyable read have read all of Cathy's books and really recommend them... It really takes you away from your own world and troubles just for a little while you get really drawn right in the middle of another family and find you can't put the book down... I hope Lara, Frazer and little Arthur have all the luck and happiness in the world from here on out 🙏🥰🥰 Its worth all 5 stars and more 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🤗👍

another amazing read. this one took me back to covid times and what it was like for all of us. fostering in covid times must of been so hard. not being able to see the social workers face to face. meaning there wasn't any real support for them. I'm so glad the ending turned out well

While Lara's struggle is compelling, this book is less of an insightful look into it, as it is a mothering manual for Lara. it is full of the little reminders to her and notes about COVID safety regulations at each moment. It reads like Cathy's log notes to her social worker.

About the author

Cathy has been a foster carer for over 30 years, during which time she has looked after more than 150 children, of all ages and backgrounds. She has three teenage children of her own; one of whom was adopted after a long-term foster placement. The name Cathy Glass is a pseudonym.