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Penguin Lines – Celebrate 150 years of the London Underground
Mind The Child: The Victoria Line
Kids Company, a leading London charity supported by Prince Charles, Helen Mirren and Stephen Fry, presents the voices of some of London's children, in partnership with the charity's founder Camila Batmanghelidjh - part of a series of twelve books tied to the twelve lines of the London Underground.
Written by the children of Kids Company in partnership with Camila Batmanghelidjh, Mind The Child will bring voices to light from the hidden parts of the city, the parts not usually heard from in our media, the parts least served by investment, and by public transport. The stations of the Victoria Line are some of the few on the Underground to weave into the capital's most neglected areas - south and east London - but even they stop abruptly at the relatively central points of Brixton at one end, Walthamstow at the other. Here, the children bring us beyond these arbitrary cut-offs, into the vast stretches of the metropolis they call home. They want us to look at what we don't see.
Kids Company supports 17,000 children and young people, many of whom have endured significant childhood maltreatment. The children are assisted through a recovery programme and helped to achieve their full potential. Kids Company is inspired by the children's courage and creativity as well as their ability to forgive those who have harmed them and remain hopeful. Their supporters include Prince Charles, Richard Branson, Stephen Fry and Helen Mirren.
Written by the children of Kids Company in partnership with Camila Batmanghelidjh, Mind The Child will bring voices to light from the hidden parts of the city, the parts not usually heard from in our media, the parts least served by investment, and by public transport. The stations of the Victoria Line are some of the few on the Underground to weave into the capital's most neglected areas - south and east London - but even they stop abruptly at the relatively central points of Brixton at one end, Walthamstow at the other. Here, the children bring us beyond these arbitrary cut-offs, into the vast stretches of the metropolis they call home. They want us to look at what we don't see.
Kids Company supports 17,000 children and young people, many of whom have endured significant childhood maltreatment. The children are assisted through a recovery programme and helped to achieve their full potential. Kids Company is inspired by the children's courage and creativity as well as their ability to forgive those who have harmed them and remain hopeful. Their supporters include Prince Charles, Richard Branson, Stephen Fry and Helen Mirren.
160 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2013
62 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 5, 2013
Anyone unsure about the effects of cuts to children and youth services should read Camila Batmanghelidgh and Kids Company 'Mind The Child'
This book asks in its final chapter if politicians will have the moral courage to stand up for vulnerable children, despite the fact that from them they can gain no votes. And will we the voting public champion those children and hold those politicians accountable?
Well, if we choose not to, it will cost us as a society. It will cost us money in the long term for sure but if as a society, we decide to tolerate high levels of child abuse, exploitation and poverty, our society will ultimately pay a price in terms of our humanity and dignity as a society. Just as we look in horror at the starving bare-footed kids of the Great Depression carried off by disease and deprivation, so our grandchildren will perhaps wonder at how we could have been aware of the pain of suffering of young men and women in our midst and have done nothing to alleviate it.
Yes these stories are heart breaking but more than that they should make us ready to defend the most vulnerable and weakest in our society against 'austerity' and the indifference of the powerful.
This book asks in its final chapter if politicians will have the moral courage to stand up for vulnerable children, despite the fact that from them they can gain no votes. And will we the voting public champion those children and hold those politicians accountable?
Well, if we choose not to, it will cost us as a society. It will cost us money in the long term for sure but if as a society, we decide to tolerate high levels of child abuse, exploitation and poverty, our society will ultimately pay a price in terms of our humanity and dignity as a society. Just as we look in horror at the starving bare-footed kids of the Great Depression carried off by disease and deprivation, so our grandchildren will perhaps wonder at how we could have been aware of the pain of suffering of young men and women in our midst and have done nothing to alleviate it.
Yes these stories are heart breaking but more than that they should make us ready to defend the most vulnerable and weakest in our society against 'austerity' and the indifference of the powerful.
September 21, 2017
I hold on to this long enough even though it is a small volume but it is too heavy too real and too painful to carry on reading. But they are the truth and not seeing them doesn't mean they do not exist. It is time to pay attention and listen to the sound of silence. That screaming silence.
April 20, 2020
Mind the Child is the last of the books I’ve read in the Penguin Lines. It’s been an up and down ride, with some books excellent and some not so. Mind the Child is another play on the word underground, this time looking at the underground children of London. This is the story of children who have been abandoned, run away or left to their own devices in the care of barely functioning adults. Abuse is rife, whether it be drugs, sexual or physical. These kids have to fend for themselves from a young age and often go hungry or turn to gangs, drug running or prostitution to live.
Camila Batmanghelidjh, the CEO of Kids Company at the time, discusses how the brains of these children are different and how care, love and a supportive environment can assist. I found the neuropsychiatry interesting, but it was the stories told by the kids themselves that have the most power. These stories are brutally honest, sometimes horrifying at the things they need to do to survive. Sometimes the system isn’t fair either. The story of one young man who wanted to work with computers and enrolled in a college course, only to be told that his government assistance would decrease to the point where he couldn’t afford rent, was exceptionally sad. He was told to drop his course, which he did and he now runs drugs, making much more money but without realising his dream.
I looked up Kids Company after reading this, as it seemed like a great charity, only to find that it is no more after financial and other issues. This shouldn’t detract away from the book though, as the stories told are heartbreaking.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Camila Batmanghelidjh, the CEO of Kids Company at the time, discusses how the brains of these children are different and how care, love and a supportive environment can assist. I found the neuropsychiatry interesting, but it was the stories told by the kids themselves that have the most power. These stories are brutally honest, sometimes horrifying at the things they need to do to survive. Sometimes the system isn’t fair either. The story of one young man who wanted to work with computers and enrolled in a college course, only to be told that his government assistance would decrease to the point where he couldn’t afford rent, was exceptionally sad. He was told to drop his course, which he did and he now runs drugs, making much more money but without realising his dream.
I looked up Kids Company after reading this, as it seemed like a great charity, only to find that it is no more after financial and other issues. This shouldn’t detract away from the book though, as the stories told are heartbreaking.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
July 4, 2023
This was only very tangentially related to the tube, one significant event for the author's sister and a short mention from one of the other contributors the only link to the Victoria line. Instead this was a book about how children in extreme distress or poverty can end up in a life of crime or become more predisposed to violence.
The testimonies and general narration were interesting, if harrowing at times. I think they were included to explain how people can end up on destructive paths from circumstance - although for me it made it seem like certain areas are just as bad as their reputation, which is often preceded by the word 'undeserved' in more liberal media.
A couple of them had the feel of radio contributions where the way to get included is to praise the host, and I don't know how highly they were edited or combined, but the impression given by Batmanghelidjh is that these are genuine contributions under a pseudonym.
I would have perhaps liked more of an idea of what Kids Company do - it is hazy but it seems they give a child a cuddle and receive eternal gratitude - but the book did at least stick to the principle in giving the (former) children their voice.
The testimonies and general narration were interesting, if harrowing at times. I think they were included to explain how people can end up on destructive paths from circumstance - although for me it made it seem like certain areas are just as bad as their reputation, which is often preceded by the word 'undeserved' in more liberal media.
A couple of them had the feel of radio contributions where the way to get included is to praise the host, and I don't know how highly they were edited or combined, but the impression given by Batmanghelidjh is that these are genuine contributions under a pseudonym.
I would have perhaps liked more of an idea of what Kids Company do - it is hazy but it seems they give a child a cuddle and receive eternal gratitude - but the book did at least stick to the principle in giving the (former) children their voice.
September 19, 2021
It saddens me that Kids Company is not still around but I know there are many compassionate people out there with big hearts who continue the good work in their ways. I never feel sorry for anyone because I feel that is an insult but I do wish good relationships for everyone and hope that I have been part of a tribe that offers new experiences of a healthy relationship through the creative therapy sessions I provide. Unconditional love and unconditional positive regard are crucial and I wish good things for everyone! I aspire to be a compassionate stranger (page 138)
September 15, 2025
I really did not care for this entry of this series. It had nothing to do with the VIctoria Line. That's the thing, it should have something connected to the line, but the writer just used the notion of children of the underground and went with it. The presentation feels off and the narratives of the kids being helped did not feel authentic. I will try one more of these underground lines books and if it is one more where the notion of writing about the train lines is ignored or begrudgingly added, then I am done.
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December 30, 2025I will not be rating this book as it is about child abuse and personal stories of children who have suffered maltreatment. I’m gonna be honest had a hard time reading this one, had to skim through some of it.
April 29, 2020
3.5/5
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October 6, 2024Stopped at 20%
Not what you want to read before falling asleep
Not what you want to read before falling asleep
May 21, 2014
The book: Mind The Child
The authors: Camila Batmanghelidjh and the young people of Kids Company, a charity that supports vulnerable children in London.
The subject: A mix of testimony from young people, facts about the effects of child abuse and how to help those affected by it.
Why I chose it: I admire the work that this charity does as well as what its founder (Batmanghelidjh) has to say. I was also planning a while ago to read all the books in this series, then completely forgot until I found the full set in my local library.
The rating: Four and a half out of five stars
What I thought of it: As you can probably guess, this book is quite harrowing at times. I read it in a couple of sittings and after the first felt utterly downhearted by what I'd read about the awful things that so many children and young people experience, often at the hands of those meant to protect them. However, it is also a very important book and I'm glad I read it. It has spurred me on to want to make a difference in whatever way I can.
There is a lot of detail about the effects that negative experiences in childhood have on developing brains. It dispels the myth that these young people are inherently "bad" and shows how effective simple love and care (as practised by Kids Company) can be, as opposed to condemnation and punishment. This is very interesting, but the best parts of this book are the parts written by young people. I'm so glad that they were given a voice and could tell their stories. It's upsetting and angering to think how many "underground children" are still out there in this city.
I recommend this if you care at all about children being mistreated. I also wish that those in power could read it and take away some lessons about empathy and kindness towards those who have a hard enough time already without being demonised. It isn't right that groups like Kids Company have to struggle for funding.
Just one more thing: Here is Kids Company's website, if you want to find out more or donate.
The authors: Camila Batmanghelidjh and the young people of Kids Company, a charity that supports vulnerable children in London.
The subject: A mix of testimony from young people, facts about the effects of child abuse and how to help those affected by it.
Why I chose it: I admire the work that this charity does as well as what its founder (Batmanghelidjh) has to say. I was also planning a while ago to read all the books in this series, then completely forgot until I found the full set in my local library.
The rating: Four and a half out of five stars
What I thought of it: As you can probably guess, this book is quite harrowing at times. I read it in a couple of sittings and after the first felt utterly downhearted by what I'd read about the awful things that so many children and young people experience, often at the hands of those meant to protect them. However, it is also a very important book and I'm glad I read it. It has spurred me on to want to make a difference in whatever way I can.
There is a lot of detail about the effects that negative experiences in childhood have on developing brains. It dispels the myth that these young people are inherently "bad" and shows how effective simple love and care (as practised by Kids Company) can be, as opposed to condemnation and punishment. This is very interesting, but the best parts of this book are the parts written by young people. I'm so glad that they were given a voice and could tell their stories. It's upsetting and angering to think how many "underground children" are still out there in this city.
I recommend this if you care at all about children being mistreated. I also wish that those in power could read it and take away some lessons about empathy and kindness towards those who have a hard enough time already without being demonised. It isn't right that groups like Kids Company have to struggle for funding.
Just one more thing: Here is Kids Company's website, if you want to find out more or donate.
August 21, 2013
Child psychologist Camila Batmanghelidjh opens her book with a powerful emotional punch, as she tells in the first paragraph of how when she was 14 her sister attempted suicide by jumping in front of a train.
Although this is part of a series of books dedicated to celebrating the 150th anniversary of the London Underground, this book uses the sense of a train journey as a metaphor for taking an emotional journey with the young people who contributed to this book. Camila is the founder of "Kids Company", a charity devoted to helping children from deprived backgrounds, and here she addresses the real-life issue of "underground children", who go unnoticed by most people in society.
Throughout the book, several teenagers involved with Kids Company tell their own stories, and it makes for very uncomfortable reading because of the harrowing subject matter. As I read the book, I felt that I was being educated on the very real issues of children being homeless because they ran away from their families, being neglected and abused, getting involved with drugs and gangs, and even forced into prostitution. The book even discusses in detail what effects physical abuse can have on the mental health of children.
While this book had almost nothing to do with the London Underground, except for a short account of a girl's journey on the underground where she talks about occasionally eating peoples' leftover food because she is homeless and hungry, I found this book to be compelling reading, and it does a very good of highlighting very serious issues that need to be addressed. There are a few moments where Camila seems to get up on her soapbox, mostly because of her anger that not enough is getting done about the issues she addresses, but overall I thought this was well-compiled and painstakingly researched.
Although this is part of a series of books dedicated to celebrating the 150th anniversary of the London Underground, this book uses the sense of a train journey as a metaphor for taking an emotional journey with the young people who contributed to this book. Camila is the founder of "Kids Company", a charity devoted to helping children from deprived backgrounds, and here she addresses the real-life issue of "underground children", who go unnoticed by most people in society.
Throughout the book, several teenagers involved with Kids Company tell their own stories, and it makes for very uncomfortable reading because of the harrowing subject matter. As I read the book, I felt that I was being educated on the very real issues of children being homeless because they ran away from their families, being neglected and abused, getting involved with drugs and gangs, and even forced into prostitution. The book even discusses in detail what effects physical abuse can have on the mental health of children.
While this book had almost nothing to do with the London Underground, except for a short account of a girl's journey on the underground where she talks about occasionally eating peoples' leftover food because she is homeless and hungry, I found this book to be compelling reading, and it does a very good of highlighting very serious issues that need to be addressed. There are a few moments where Camila seems to get up on her soapbox, mostly because of her anger that not enough is getting done about the issues she addresses, but overall I thought this was well-compiled and painstakingly researched.
December 10, 2013
This book deals with abused, neglected and mistreated children. Statistics on display are horrific and true; these are the real adults of tomorrow. What we don't care for today will be the ruin of tomorrow, and as the stories in this book - mostly from children and youths who have faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles during their growing up - are many, Batmanghelidjh's narrative provides valuable insight into neurology, biology, substance abuse, adolescence in modern England and the "humanity" of it all, how modern-day people in England (and, of course, not only there), are more and more divided into an upper or lower class.
March 13, 2013
A heartbreaking and informative account of what life is like for London's 'underground children' who exist in extreme poverty. The book includes explanatory science and psychological research to back up Camila Batmanghelidjh's doctrine of compassionate care for the children society ignores. Required reading for anyone studying or working within the fields of sociology, psychology, politics, neuroscience or childcare. Or anyone who wants to understand the reasons why young people in one of the world's richest cities are struggling to survive their daily lives.
January 2, 2014
3,5/5
"Compassion is the ticket"
I bought this book by purely chance during Black Friday 2013. It is part of the collection Penguin Lines (150 years of the London Underground)
I did like this book, Kids Company are doing such a huge effort to help children in the streets of Enlgland. Through their stories we experience compassion, and we get to see a nude version of the facts. I am happy I have learnt more about these issues I had no idea about, and will be much more aware of them from now on.
"Compassion is the ticket"
I bought this book by purely chance during Black Friday 2013. It is part of the collection Penguin Lines (150 years of the London Underground)
I did like this book, Kids Company are doing such a huge effort to help children in the streets of Enlgland. Through their stories we experience compassion, and we get to see a nude version of the facts. I am happy I have learnt more about these issues I had no idea about, and will be much more aware of them from now on.
October 6, 2016
A brilliantly concise, heart-rending, fact-driven take on the problem of youth homelessness and 'problem children'. Hugely informative, and straight to the point, this book will make readers acknowledge that we are all part of the problem. The way Batmanghelidjh picks apart stereotypes and gives a voice to children who have 'slipped through the net' is candid and cutting. So short that everyone should make a little time to read this book, and come away more informed about one of the biggest social crises in modern Britain.
April 5, 2016
A fantastic read. The book is written by staff of youth charity Kids Company and is interspersed by the stories of some of the young people they work with, told in their own words. It is eye-opening and hugely informative, detailing how the lifelong effects of abuse come about in a psychological and physiological way.
Easy to read and not particularly long, it is definitely worth picking up.
Easy to read and not particularly long, it is definitely worth picking up.
May 8, 2013
Everyone should read this book. It can be a very difficult and upsetting read but will change the way you think about troubled, violent, or otherwise anti-social people. Politicians in particular should be made to read this.
December 23, 2013
A great insight into the underworld of child abuse and the effects it has on young people both at the time of their abuse and into the future. I won't read it if you have a weak stomach for some pretty horrifying stories. But maybe we all need to be shaken up by the reality around us.
May 11, 2013
You should read this.
March 8, 2013
Just read this book. Even if you read no other book in your entire life. Just. Read. This. Book.
June 19, 2013
Very thought-provoking insights into London's hidden poverty and how cycles of abuse self-perpetuate.
October 13, 2014
The lives of runaway and abandoned children in London, described in their own words, depicting a hell Dickens never imagined.
May 11, 2023
Very short book describing current crisis in child social care crisis through individual stories
September 16, 2015
rather a harrowing read, but one that needs to ng read and tandem seriously.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews