Wednesday's Child: One year in the life of an Irish child protection worker

Shane Dunphy

Feb 2006 · Gill & Macmillan Ltd

About this ebook

Shane Dunphy was involved in social care for fifteen years. This book is a distillation of some of the cases he encountered in that time into a single, year-long narrative. In spite of the narrative's compression, and allowing for the necessary change of identifying details, everything in this book is true. And what the truth reveals! Here are the cases of three dysfunctional families, struggling at the margins of a society that barely acknowledges their existence. This is a portrait of fatalistic despair, of families so sunk into chronic poverty and neglect that they are beyond saving themselves or their children. All the elements of social dysfunction are present: the unkempt houses, truant children, endless television, anorexia, alcoholism, suicidal depression. Yet out of this mess there is hope as well as tragedy. Many of Wednesday's children don't make it, but some do, surviving the most appalling childhood horrors to make it through to the normal adult world. But more are doomed. Despite the heroism of child protection workers and the best efforts of well-intentioned people, we still face a hidden mountain of avoidable human misery. Wednesday's Child is shocking and disturbing and, most of all, true.

Ratings and reviews

This is the 1st Shane Dunphy book I have read and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it 🤗 It was easy to follow even though the book covered 3 completely different families... It was not confusing to read at all it was really good and kept me interested through out 🤗 what an eye opener though makes you wonder how these young children manage to get through so much trauma which is inflicted by there own parents... I hope everyone of these kids in this book had a break through in the end and managed to have a happier adult hood than they did child hood... This book deserves all 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🤗👍 Now to look for the next Shane Dunphy book to read 👍👍

Had me in tears of sadness and happiness. What a insight into the a world of child protection workers and the families they work with.

Brilliantly describes how hard Shane Dumphy worked for the children in his care

About the author

Shane Dunphy worked in social care, and specifically as a child care worker, for over fifteen years. During this time he worked extensively with children and their families. He is widely recognised as one of the leading experts in child protection in Ireland and is a regular contributor to television, radio and print on the subject.