Billy's Story

Thrown Away Children #6

by Louise Allen

From the bestselling author of the Thrown Away Children series comes another heartbreaking story of life in foster care.

Louise has trouble on her hands from the first moment that 5-year-old Billy Blackthorn comes to stay. He is one of more than 20 children taken into care from a single family, and erupts into the Allen household with a volatility that is frightening and disturbing in equal measure. It is only as Louise begins to uncover the secrets of Billy's dark past that she begins to understand what made his family 'untouchable'.

'Britain's top foster carer' The Sun

'A shining light' Emily Finch, BBC

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Fostering

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 20, 2022

About the author

From an early age, Louise was adopted into a family who, from the beginning, said they didn’t want her. Her first book, Thrown Away Child, reveals the abuse and neglect she and a fellow adopted child suffered at the hands of their adopted mother, Barbara. Ten years ago, Louise and her family became a fostering family. They have looked after over twenty children, some have stayed long term. This led to the bestselling series, Thrown Away Children, where Louise is inspired by the stories of children in the care system. Within days, the book became a bestseller.

Louise now draws on her experience to write a new series of ‘How to’ books about adoption, fostering and parenting. How to Adopt a Child is the unvarnished truth about adoption. Louise is well known for “saying it as it is,” so not only is it witty and engaging, it also empowers adopters to feel confident and in control and to know where to turn to for help.

Reviews

[Rebecca Fowkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book from Louise Allen. It started off slow but I definitely recommend sticking with it. I couldn't believe what Billy and and the rest of the children went through, I had tears in my eyes.

[Nikki Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I know not all social workers are like this. However, I feel instead of people going into social work thinking they want to make a difference which they still can. They need to go into it and have the balls to do the job. I mean if you think you were scared of the family, how do you think a 16-year-old girl feels. I mean for goodness sake she was 16 and this is her third baby that enough is a big red flag. I am, however, so proud of those social workers who go in and have the guts to do the work and truly care about these children because if they don’t have a voice then you are, their voice. Keep shinning the light on the ones that do I just want you to know you’re the shit, keep being amazing you got this! To the kids who come from that family please know how sorry we all are and that your family doesn’t define you. Blood is not thinking then water and you deserved so much better.

[Deb Hassell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disturbing but riveting

[Kelly Ferrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billy’s Story. (Thrown Away Children). by Louise Allen.
Book started very slow and not what I feel was a ‘normal’ Louise Allen type book ..
Almost shelved it after 20% as it was not pulling me in as her books do .. Once it actually got into Louise in the book it did start to pick up and did become a good book.
All I can say is persevere with it …. It will get better …
Billy is one of a large amount of kids taken from a estate where so much has happened to the kids and all being hidden by a large amount of people!

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name]

This story was brutal. There were a few moments when I just skipped a bit. I couldn’t finish. Just disgusting and sadly true.
4/24-okay I finished. I don’t want to rate this book of give this a review. Some things should just be read. I wonder if the little one remembers what happened to him.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one started with a couple of introductory chapters, which told us something about the life of the child before he reached Louise's household, which was interesting but not what I was used to from her books. It almost made me think that I had picked up a work of fiction, but sadly it had actually happened, though Louise didn't find out till much later.
This one was a particularly grim read, as it became apparent that young Billy was one of a large number of children who had been abused on an industrial scale. Things did eventually turn out better than seemed likely at the time. Apparently the extended family committing the abuse got away with it for so long because they had inside help.

[Anne Hickley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read some horrifying things in my time but this is probably the most appalling of all, not least because the events that led to five-year-old ‘wild child’ Billy being fostered were so recent (well within the last ten years) and because the corruption that protected his abusers went right up the line. It seems incredible that this goes on in a ‘civilised’ country in the 21st century. A must read.

[Ian Mcnamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, what i love about Louise is her honesty and willingness to take action. Also as she has been in care herself she has understanding of what the children might be going through. The things Billy was subjected were horriffic.

[Laura Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second of Louise's books I have read and it is heartbreaking. To know that children like Billy still suffer the abuse outlined in this book is horrendous. It was a difficult read once we got to where Billy was with Louise's family, some of Billy's behaviours were just wow! (no other words) for his age but the more we learned of his background, the more obvious the reasons for his behaviour. I am so glad that little Billy and his many siblings were able to go on to better things, it breaks my heart to know that not all children manage to get away from their abusers.

[Julie Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Louise Allen. I find her stories fascinating and devastating at the same time. The abuse little Billy experienced was just totally unimaginable. To learn that there can be whole communities where such abuse exists on a large scale and was managed to be covered up by a corrupt person in social care is just totally shocking. This story will remain with me for a while. I think it’s important to know such things happen, even though we like to think it doesn’t.

[Lisa Carlile · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always these true accounts from Louise Allen are harrowing but it also has hope for the children she is fostering and hope that social services and people in authority will continue to be open minded and more supportive of the many Foster carers. This tale is based around a 5 year old who was unfortunate to be born within a terrible and abusive extended and complicated family.

[Katie Stride · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different perspective of foster caring. I’ve read other authors but this book allowed me to see how social work works in a mass incident. It isn’t pretty or organised but it kind of worked out in the end.

Some slipped through the net, professionally as well as children but many were at least removed from a lifetime of abuse.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the forth in series I’ve read (not 3&4) and this out of the 4 - and I expect all - is the worse case.
Horrendous.
I find Louise repeats herself a lot-but reading as stand alone book, and given publishing time-you would forget so she just reminds you of her and her family,
I enjoy reading her stories but they are hard. I’m glad Billy has come good.

[Marwa Ghazy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should have a huge trigger warning sign all over it. And I don't get putting a picture of a kid on the cover!

I liked the 1st 3 books then it went bad from there. I don't think this series should have a child picture and it must have a trigger warning for sure.

21/11/2023

[Isabella Swanepoel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing by Louise.
It is horrifying to even imagine that sexual abuse is an everyday occurrence, but to have a child pornography "breeding farm" for this purpose, is unthinkable.
Great narration.

[Samantha Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very shocking and sad story. I’ve not read one that has been so sad for a long time.

[Elizabeth Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh, I hate this this book is a true story. Important for awareness

[georgia elderkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sad read as it makes you realise that scenarios like these are happening everyday to children. Something I am interested in and one day would love to help a child in need.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sad ,but written well

[Charlotte Graulich]

A heartbreaking story.

[Debra Racine · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting

What a story! I was so memorized with it I couldn’t put it down. This is a book that I recommend reading. Especially if you work with children or ah some of your own.

[angie peck]

Gripping

Well written book on large-scale child abuse. Glad Billy was saved and lead a fulfilling life. Help should be provided for the foster family.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very hard to read, disturbing story but I just could not put this book down.

[Caitlan Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is so shocking how these children have been left in this lifestyle for too long

[Uniflame · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the one of the most shocking foster care stories I have ever read. A trigger warning for severe sexual abuse.

[Tara Bown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one of the worst foster cases I've ever heard . So sad

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sad story about foster care and the lack of help from the system to save these children

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely heartbreaking look into how so many forgotten children live. Foster parents who actually care forgotten too.

[Casidy Tims · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing family. VERY disturbing. I'm not sure I could ever truly process what happened to these children.

[Stacy Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite in the series so far.