I Thought You Cared: The Hidden Truth of Abuse, Trauma, and Systematic Betrayal in Scotland's Children's Services

by Holly Alex

242 pages, Paperback

Published February 5, 2026

About the author

Holly Alex is a Scottish author whose life was shaped by growing up in the care system. From adolescence, she experienced abuse, exploitation, instability, and silence, learning early what it meant to survive in a world that too often failed to protect her.

Her debut memoir, I Thought You Cared, is a powerful and unflinching account of that journey. Written with honesty and courage, it exposes the realities of growing up in care, the trauma that followed, and the long path towards finding her voice. It is a book for those who recognise their own experiences within its pages, and for those who have never seen this hidden world before.

After leaving care, Holly faced further struggles with trauma, addiction, and the lasting impact of everything she had endured. Her writing is born from that fight, not only to survive, but to heal, rebuild, and reclaim her life.

She writes because silence nearly destroyed her. It kept abuse hidden, protected those responsible, and left her unheard for years. Through her work, Holly is determined to challenge that silence and bring difficult truths into the open. She believes that meaningful change begins with honest conversations about the experiences people often avoid, dismiss, or fail to understand.

Visit Holly on Facebook: @IThoughtYouCared