Looked After
A Childhood in Care
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Looked After
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Narrated by:
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Ashley John-Baptiste
About this listen
'This is a book that everyone must read. No matter how you grew up it's for you: it'll make you rethink your own childhood and your relationships with everyone you know. It's funny, moving and of course it's often sad. But mainly it's a beautiful and fascinating and enlightening portrait of the care system, a world that is barely understood by many of us. It is also a proper page turner: the twists and turns and set-backs of his childhood are as gripping as they are shocking. I genuinely couldn't put it down.
This story is more urgent and relevant now than ever.' - Xand van Tulleken
'Ashley John-Baptiste joins a high class of writing by upstanding respectful and honourable citizens and professionals, professors and actors, lawyers, doctors, artists and authors, all who happen to have had a life in care. We have every right to tell our story as much as anyone else. Welcome, Ashley.' - Lemn Sissay
'An inspiring story of triumph over adversity.' - Fatima Whitbread
'Ashley has done the country a great service in shining a light on the inhumane - and at times brutal - way that society supports this most vulnerable group of children. Every politician should read this book and commit to fixing the system.' - Sharon White
Ashley John-Baptiste grew up in the British care system, living with five different families, without ever being truly part of a family.
It wasn't easy, or straightforward, and Ashley's ever-changing living situation affected every single part of his life - from his education to his sense of identity to his friendships and his hobbies. And yet, throughout everything his childhood in care threw at him, Ashley remained resilient and found a way to take advantage of the opportunities that came his way.
Now Ashley feels able to tell us - vividly and movingly - how, when it felt like the world was turning its back on him, he refused to be an outsider in his own home and set about establishing a new and positive life for himself.
Looked After is a memoir written from the heart that pulls no punches but demonstrates that given encouragement and love - and, sometimes, a second chance - a care-experienced boy can become a successful broadcaster, a loving husband and a proud father.©2024 Ashley John-Baptiste (P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
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What listeners say about Looked After
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- L M MacIntyre
- 22-06-24
Absolutely incredible real life story of growing up in care
I was blown away by Ashley’s story of his time in care. A must read for everyone. Ashley you’re an incredible person to have overcome so much on your own.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 04-10-24
Ashley transports you to his inner world - thought provoking and incredibly powerful.
Listening to Ashley's story is incredibly powerful. It gives a thought-provoking glimpse into the inner voice of a Looked After Child and the challenges they face being in the care system. As a social worker, it brought up interactions I'd had with children and challenged the messages I may have inadvertently given as well as fondly remembering the relationships I built and the goodbyes that felt final and unnatural to me, let alone the children themselves. A must read for anyone, it speaks to humanity and is the sort of book that will stick in your mind once you've read it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mike w.
- 17-12-24
So moving
An amazing book. Thank you so much for writing this. It should be compulsory reading for all those who work with looked after children and all those who make decisions about their lives. Adults need to get better at listening to children and taking time to understand their reactions .
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- lyn price
- 16-06-24
The cruelties of the care system
I felt the lines about how the little boy Ashley was feeling were stunning. I also enjoyed his friendships and would have liked more of this. Some of the descriptive sections were flat.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Social Mike
- 23-06-24
what an amazing book! an emotional roller coaster
I'm a foster carer and have been for many years, I have really enjoyed listening to this audiobook, tears of joy and sadness. I don't know you but I feel incredibly proud of you. A true inspiration.
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- Amazon Customer
- 25-09-24
Thanks for sharing your humbling experience
A stark insight into the “care system” thank you for sharing your story and providing an insight into a system I had no knowledge of. I cried for the little boy who didn’t feel he belonged and was so touched by your inner strength. Well worth listening to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Liz R
- 19-06-24
inspirational
loved this honest, tragic yet inspirational book, told from the heart. I hope we might learn from it,to influence social "care". .... but I fear we won't. a Great insight into the loneli
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Grace
- 22-06-24
Inspiring story
I loved the authors unwillingness to be defeated by all the hardship he encountered in life. A fantastic insight into the care system and the lasting impact this has on children and adults!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lakeisha Davidson
- 17-09-24
A child’s experience of the coldness of “care”
I’m so glad Ashley himself narrated this book, this book shared the realities of what could look like a success story of the care system. Ashley is an inspiration. I would say this is essential reading not just for social workers, teachers and foster carers but for society at large - I read this in a day, it was just so captivating!
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- Sean
- 22-06-24
Thank you
I value the learning from your book. Im a social worker and think that every social worker, foster carer and all other professional working with a child in living within the care system should read your story. Thank you
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