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Mummy’s Little Helper: The Heartrending True Story of a Young Girl Secretly Caring for Her Severely Disabled Mother
A recent census shows that there are at least 175,000 child carers in the UK, 13,000 of whom care for more than 50 hours a week. Many remain invisible to a system that would otherwise help them. Abigail is one of those children. This is her story.
Ten-year-old Abigail’s mother Sarah has been rushed into hospital. Sarah has multiple sclerosis (MS) and has had a terrible fall. MS is a crippling disease, and progressively debilitating, and Sarah is now in a very bad way. Abigail has never known her father; she and her mother have coped alone since she was three. From being little more than a toddler Abigail has single-handedly cared for her, gradually learning to shop, cook and clean, and attend to her mother’s personal care. Suddenly this has all come to social services attention and Abigail has nowhere to go.
Though not fitting the usual profile of a child for the Watsons (they are specialist foster carers) Casey and Mike are happy to step in and look after Abigail – it’s an emergency situation, after all. And all that’s needed is a loving, temporary home while social services look into how best to support the family so that mother and daughter can be reunited.
But it soon becomes apparent that this isn't going to happen. Tania’s MS is now at a very advanced stage, and the doctors are certain that there will no longer be periods of remission. Meanwhile Abigail’s emotional state starts to spiral out of control as she struggles to let go of the burdening responsibilities she’s had for so long. Sarah and Abigail insist that they do not need help, but with no other family to contact, social services are left with no choice but to find long-term care for Abigail … but Casey isn't one to give up, and she’s determined there must be another solution.
Ten-year-old Abigail’s mother Sarah has been rushed into hospital. Sarah has multiple sclerosis (MS) and has had a terrible fall. MS is a crippling disease, and progressively debilitating, and Sarah is now in a very bad way. Abigail has never known her father; she and her mother have coped alone since she was three. From being little more than a toddler Abigail has single-handedly cared for her, gradually learning to shop, cook and clean, and attend to her mother’s personal care. Suddenly this has all come to social services attention and Abigail has nowhere to go.
Though not fitting the usual profile of a child for the Watsons (they are specialist foster carers) Casey and Mike are happy to step in and look after Abigail – it’s an emergency situation, after all. And all that’s needed is a loving, temporary home while social services look into how best to support the family so that mother and daughter can be reunited.
But it soon becomes apparent that this isn't going to happen. Tania’s MS is now at a very advanced stage, and the doctors are certain that there will no longer be periods of remission. Meanwhile Abigail’s emotional state starts to spiral out of control as she struggles to let go of the burdening responsibilities she’s had for so long. Sarah and Abigail insist that they do not need help, but with no other family to contact, social services are left with no choice but to find long-term care for Abigail … but Casey isn't one to give up, and she’s determined there must be another solution.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2013
194 people are currently reading
1339 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
December 21, 2014
This was one of the harder to read books from Casey. Not because of horrible tales of abuse found in many of her books... But because of the deep love and bonding between mother and daughter... Abby wasn't abused in the normal respects.... She was deeply loved by a mother with a chronic health condition... Multiple Sclerosis.... Because this type of illness comes in spells... Abby's mother had taught her from a very early age how to manage things around the house to help her out... She made schedules and lists of things that needed to be done.... Abby's mother grew very Ill and was hospitalized leaving Abby in need of care.... Having a chronic illness myself I could relate to how Abby's mother wanted to prepare Abby to look after herself.... But she didn't realize the extent and damage she was actually doing.... Abby couldn't function without all the schedules and lists she was used to having that ruled her life and ended up being diagnosed with OCD.... In the end it all turned out for the best... A long lost aunt was found and an old family wound was healed.... Giving a home and help to both Abby and her mother.... Reuniting them both to live with the aunt.... In what I hope to be a happily ever after....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2014
Excellently told by Casey Watson with a lot of insight to fostering children with needs. Although this little girl wasn't seen to be in a specialized bracket as uncontrollable or unable to place, so Casey thought that apart from looking after her while her Mother was in hospital suffering a relapse due to MS, it would be straight foreward, it turned out not to be.........
As a sole carer myself I know how hard this can be, how it takes up your life and you have no life of your own. The impact on your physical and mental well being and total exhaustion at times, to imagine this on a little girls shoulders is terrible.
Thanks to Casey for bringing this to light
As a sole carer myself I know how hard this can be, how it takes up your life and you have no life of your own. The impact on your physical and mental well being and total exhaustion at times, to imagine this on a little girls shoulders is terrible.
Thanks to Casey for bringing this to light
May 20, 2016
I am currently reading the books of Casey Watson that I have not read yet. I really enjoy her books, they are similar to the works of Cathy Glass (not sure who started writing first) - telling of what it is like to foster children and in Casey's case, Children who many other Foster carers couldn't handle.
This story very much hit home for me as it is about a child who has to go into foster care as her Mum has to go to Hospital, as she suffers with MS. The Social services realise that the child has actually been the one completely caring for her mother and in doing so has become very self sufficient but also very isolated from others, having no friends or other family for support. It is whilst Casey is Fostering this child that she also realises unusal habits that the child is doing like switching on and off lights, tapping door frames, washing her hands constantly - All sure signs of OCD. Although we don't really get to hear the treatment that the child ends up receiving and if it helped or not (as it came after the child had left Casey's home) it was still interesting to hear how it can manifest in a child, the same as it can for adults and the torture it must cause the sufferer. I will not say how things work out in this case but its a very good read.
I am off to start the next book in her chronological order - ' Breaking the Silence'
This story very much hit home for me as it is about a child who has to go into foster care as her Mum has to go to Hospital, as she suffers with MS. The Social services realise that the child has actually been the one completely caring for her mother and in doing so has become very self sufficient but also very isolated from others, having no friends or other family for support. It is whilst Casey is Fostering this child that she also realises unusal habits that the child is doing like switching on and off lights, tapping door frames, washing her hands constantly - All sure signs of OCD. Although we don't really get to hear the treatment that the child ends up receiving and if it helped or not (as it came after the child had left Casey's home) it was still interesting to hear how it can manifest in a child, the same as it can for adults and the torture it must cause the sufferer. I will not say how things work out in this case but its a very good read.
I am off to start the next book in her chronological order - ' Breaking the Silence'
December 7, 2022
Przez cały czas miałam wrażenie, że już to czytałam :O. Poza tym nie wiem, czemu, ale strasznie mnie irytowała.
June 12, 2014
So I anticipated the worst out of this book, having read a few of these sad narratives about the lives of some foster children. In the beginning, I thought it was Sarah doing the abuse ... what happened to Abby is considered abuse, of course, but not to the extent I was expecting it to be ... when it was clear that Sarah had done nothing, I wondered if it was someone from their past, someone who was possibly related. Then, Vicky came into the picture. Up until it was revealed who and what Vicky is, I thought, okay, this is it, this aunt did something to Abby when she was a kid, that's why Sarah had to be so isolated and independent.
Once everything was clarified at the end, I realized that although this book deals with child abuse, Abby herself wasn't hated or neglected, like most other kids I've read about who've been put in foster care. It was hard for me to take it in, that all the anxiety and OCD-prone problems she was having was just simply a side-effect of losing control over her carefully planned-down-to-the-minute life. :(
Overall, it's a good book to read, especially if you've been reading a lot of child abuse stories lately. It's sort of a break of its own kind from the really horrifying stories some of these poor kids have gone through.
Once everything was clarified at the end, I realized that although this book deals with child abuse, Abby herself wasn't hated or neglected, like most other kids I've read about who've been put in foster care. It was hard for me to take it in, that all the anxiety and OCD-prone problems she was having was just simply a side-effect of losing control over her carefully planned-down-to-the-minute life. :(
Overall, it's a good book to read, especially if you've been reading a lot of child abuse stories lately. It's sort of a break of its own kind from the really horrifying stories some of these poor kids have gone through.
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March 5, 2015This is the second book I have read by this author and foster carer. The system is very different, than what I worked under many years ago, in Texas and Alabama. They have many more people working above the foster carer: a supervisor, a social worker for the child and one for the parent, and a committee of some kind, who decide the method of care.
This book deals with a nine year old girl, who had been caring for her mother, who had MS. When I was working, I found little children, who helped take care of younger siblings, and they seemed like little old people. This girl acted like a little adult, because she had so many responsibilities taking care of her sick mother. She had no help from neighbors, friends, or other relatives. She developed OCD, and had many different tics, to relieve her anxiety. She is placed in foster care, after her mother has to go into the hospital with a broken leg. The foster carer has an adult son, with Aspergber's, and that was interesting. The carer also studied up about OCD, which was also informative. I enjoyed reading this book.
This book deals with a nine year old girl, who had been caring for her mother, who had MS. When I was working, I found little children, who helped take care of younger siblings, and they seemed like little old people. This girl acted like a little adult, because she had so many responsibilities taking care of her sick mother. She had no help from neighbors, friends, or other relatives. She developed OCD, and had many different tics, to relieve her anxiety. She is placed in foster care, after her mother has to go into the hospital with a broken leg. The foster carer has an adult son, with Aspergber's, and that was interesting. The carer also studied up about OCD, which was also informative. I enjoyed reading this book.
October 2, 2016
My third book of Casey, and I get more annoyed by her style of writing every second, so this was also my last book. The upheaval of herself and her family goes on and on and on. I am shocked at how naive she seems to be, since everything she is 'shocked' or 'surprised' about, is something every person with a bit of common sense can see coming. I find it hard to believe the story's (other books as well) are true because they are so far sought. But true or not, I am glad how the story ended and it brought child carers to the attention, that's why I gave 2 stars
May 26, 2016
Loved this book just as much as the rest of her books. My parents were foster carers so this genre is really intresting to me. It was nice that this one was a little different than the norm, I highly recommend it.
August 19, 2016
Like the others, I couldn't wait to put my hands on this latest book from Casey Watson.
March 25, 2013
brilliant
March 22, 2013
Brilliant book. Upsetting and heart-wrenching story of a little girl who is a young carer for her Mother who has MS. Fantastic ending, and more amazing writing from Casey!
March 24, 2020
warning for anyone coping with MS or OCD - this novella is very readable, but it does go into a fair bit of medical detail that might cause distress. Not at all bad for its genre, which has over recent years become very nearly formulaic, but this book is decidedly short for its price. I was interested to hear from someone dealing with MS and OCD who was unfamiliar with either condition, since both are in my family & that kind of unfamiliarity is very far behind me (in the case of the former, anyway; for the latter it never happened at all, since I'm the one who has it!). To see the external events around a child being taken into care for reasons other than the parent being at fault somehow was something I also found interesting, having very nearly been on the other side of this as my sister & I were both young carers ourselves (our mother died in our mid-teens, after being in & out of remission with lymphoma since we were toddlers) and, like the little girl in this story, had our own health problems besides. I read this pretty much in one sitting, and while the Kindle version could do with another proof-reading run, the editing made it very readable, & it's decently paced. It's not my usual reading matter, and I don't really jump at it, but I will be recommending it to my stepmother - she will love it.
One
One
August 12, 2018
Another stunning book from Casey Watson.
Mummy's Little Helper is the story of Abby, a 9 year old girl who ends up in Casey's care when her Mother is unexpectedly taken into hospital.
To everyone, Abby seems like a polite and well behaved little girl who wouldn't fit the profile of other children that Casey and Mike foster. But is all as it seems?
The longer that Abby is with Casey, the more the signs of her anxiety are noticed and it's escalating fast. What could be making this delightful little girl become so anxious?
Casey's link worker, John, delves deeper into Abby's home life and soon discovers that things are not as they should be between Abby and her Mother, Sarah.
This story is a lot less intense than most from Casey Watson and it's a welcome relief to read about a child who hasn't had the worst childhood compared to the majority of the children that Casey fosters, but it's a heartbreaking sorry nonetheless.
Fans of Cathy Glass will love Casey Watson.
Mummy's Little Helper is the story of Abby, a 9 year old girl who ends up in Casey's care when her Mother is unexpectedly taken into hospital.
To everyone, Abby seems like a polite and well behaved little girl who wouldn't fit the profile of other children that Casey and Mike foster. But is all as it seems?
The longer that Abby is with Casey, the more the signs of her anxiety are noticed and it's escalating fast. What could be making this delightful little girl become so anxious?
Casey's link worker, John, delves deeper into Abby's home life and soon discovers that things are not as they should be between Abby and her Mother, Sarah.
This story is a lot less intense than most from Casey Watson and it's a welcome relief to read about a child who hasn't had the worst childhood compared to the majority of the children that Casey fosters, but it's a heartbreaking sorry nonetheless.
Fans of Cathy Glass will love Casey Watson.
February 4, 2023
As someone who suffers with OCD this really did hurt my heart reading, I felt so bad for Abby and for a whilst I know her mother did everything she could I did get quite cross at times.
I am so glad she is now living a better life with her mum and her auntie and hopefully like stated in the book her OCD had resided due to the lack of stress in her life.
I’ve been reading Casey Watsons books in chronological order and whilst this was not my favourite of all her books I still completely love her writing and her as a person.
Her and Rosie Lewis have been inspirations of my life to have a career in social work when I am older and possible foster children myself.
I am so glad she is now living a better life with her mum and her auntie and hopefully like stated in the book her OCD had resided due to the lack of stress in her life.
I’ve been reading Casey Watsons books in chronological order and whilst this was not my favourite of all her books I still completely love her writing and her as a person.
Her and Rosie Lewis have been inspirations of my life to have a career in social work when I am older and possible foster children myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2021
I would rate this four stars, as the actual story is fantastic and very moving, however this is the second book I have read from this author that is littered with typos, grammatical errors and incoherent sentences that really distract me from being immersed in the story, with it being sometimes difficult to decipher what she is trying to say.
I am unsure of whether or not I will read any more from Casey for this reason, which is a shame as she is clearly a brilliant foster carer with some interesting stories to tell from her experiences.
I am unsure of whether or not I will read any more from Casey for this reason, which is a shame as she is clearly a brilliant foster carer with some interesting stories to tell from her experiences.
November 10, 2025
this was such an emotional and eye-opening read. casey has such a warm, honest way of writing that makes you feel like you’re right there with her. it’s heartbreaking at times but also full of love and hope. i really admire how much patience and compassion she shows. it reminds you how much difference one person can make.
February 3, 2017
My Review
I am unable to say whether I enjoyed this book or not because it reminds me of my own childhood when I was growing up. The only thing that I can say is that you need to read it for yourself to get your own opinion.
I am unable to say whether I enjoyed this book or not because it reminds me of my own childhood when I was growing up. The only thing that I can say is that you need to read it for yourself to get your own opinion.
April 25, 2020
I made really slow progress with this book, probably because it was a bit boring. I'm disappointed because I devoured all of Cathy Glass' books and I so hoped these would be a good replacement, but they just aren't as engaging unfortunately.
April 15, 2021
Such a heartwarming story! Really opens your eyes what some children go through. Being a mother this was tough to read at some points as this child's mother was sick & couldn't care for her 😢 the responsibility this child had was insane!
February 24, 2024
I'm sure I could have finished this sooner, but I've been reading it on Saturdays with a friend. Both of us enjoyed it, and sometimes skipped ahead of the 3 chapters per week we'd agreed on because we were eager to know what happened next.
September 13, 2017
True story of a nine-year old child who has spent her childhood taking care of her mother who suffers from MS.
March 18, 2018
Heartbreaking, as always.
October 6, 2018
Another great read from Casey Watson!
June 11, 2019
This book was so good I enjoyed it
September 14, 2019
Excellent read, but close to tears at times. The book was written by a foster carer. I felt I was with them at times, I wanted to reach out and take care of the child myself, very heartwarming.
November 13, 2019
Very good
March 25, 2020
One of her best.
September 27, 2020
Amazing book, such a good read
October 28, 2020
I love reading that I didn't want to put it down, but very sad.
January 22, 2021
Such a sad story
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews