Through the Eyes of a Foster Child: My Childhood in Over 30 New Zealand Homes

by Daryl Brougham

Daryl Brougham's best-selling book about his traumatic childhood in foster care. The paperback version has sold over 4,000 copies in its first four months, since December 2015, in Australia and New Zealand.

In 1990, at the age of ten, Daryl Brougham was told by a social worker he was useless and would end up in jail. By 1997, he had attended 27 schools, been through over 30 social workers and lived in more than 30 different foster homes. During his 18 years as a state ward he suffered repeated sexual, physical, emotional and psychological abuse. Rising above all the abuse, Daryl proved that social worker wrong.

Daryl Brougham was born in Auckland in 1979 and is affiliated to Tainui–Ngati Maniapoto tribe. Having survived eighteen years of state care, he is determined to improve the social welfare system from within. He took time out to study both care of the elderly and facilities management before starting his degree. In 2009, he was awarded a Deputy Chief of Navy Commendation from NZDF. Daryl lives in Auckland with his wife Emily and two lovely daughters.
A quality New Zealand book.

196 pages, Paperback

First published December 3, 2015

Reviews

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daryl Brougham is a qualified New Zealand registered social worker and the author of Through the Eyes of a Foster Child.

I’m slightly familiar with the foster care system as we’re going through assessments with family services to be respite carers, we have learnt so much but reading Daryl Brougham’s account of his life in more than 50 foster homes truly was an eye-opener.

This is gut-wrenching reading and makes you feel for all the foster kids who aren’t being cared for in a safe, loving and supportive environment.

*Book #2 of the 2020 International male author challenge

[Ollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I published this book for Daryl Brougham, but this is in no way a biased review. An exceptional book by a young man who really shouldn't have survived the "fostering system" but who did, miraculously. An in-depth, honest account of Daryl's childhood in 30 different foster homes, up to the age of 18. How cruel is that? A definite "must-read", especially if you know a child in this situation - or indeed adults and families. Four thousand copies have been sold just since it was published, in the four months from December 2015.

[Raewyn Timmins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very honest look into state care in New Zealand.

[Courtney Hamill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an eye opener on how careless and fucked the system was back in the days and probably to this day is still. As someone that has been through the system for approximately a year and a bit I understood his frustration, emotions and other things. I was fortunate enough to have wonderful caregivers that loved and supported me and to this day still do.

It really goes to show how much the system doesn't care about the children sometimes and just want to get the paperwork done. If you want to know what the system was like or what he dealt with, then definty give it a read. He also shows that no matter what situation you go through, there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel, and you just have to take one step at a time

This book left me sobbing and crying, admittedly I had to put down the book a couple of times as some the stuff he went through just hurt my heart on how some adults could treat a child like that just is mind boggling.

[Eliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very upsetting to read, but the end made it all worth it. I am so proud of everything Daryl has accomplished when so many barriers were thrown up in front of him. The relationship between him and his sister was extremely touching and full of a complicated mix of sorrow and joy. The events in this book are very disheartening, but they need to be made aware of. I was very interested to see how the foster care system works in other countries, and from this depiction, it seems that it is not only a mess in the US. My heart swelled with pride and joy when Daryl became the social worker that was never available to him in the capacity to be helpful and caring. I have just heard that Daryl has passed. I send my love to his family and hope they know how touched so many people are by his story, and how many people he has helped through his career and his book.