For many of us, childhood bring happy, comforting memories, which only really comes with the love of a family. For the rest, Neil Morrissey included, a childhood separated from family into a world of care involving, ‘aunts’ instead of mothers and ‘houses’ instead of a home, childhood becomes something that in adult life, becomes a painful repressed memory.
In this achingly honest look at the care system, Morrissey revisits his past, delving into how and why he and his brother were sent to separate children’s homes for, what he recalls, a petty act of theft.
Neil was sent to Penkhull children’s home in Stoke-on-Trent where he remained in the care system until 17. He was never reunited into the family unit. His beloved elder brother, Stephen, was also sent away but to a different home, Riverside, which has a dark history of sexual and physical abuse. Stephen passed away some years ago and never spoke of his time at Riverside, which only adds to Morrissey’s anguish over his brother’s potential experience.
Aside from the humbling insight into his confused and emotionally detached childhood, Morrissey also poses important questions about the care system in general; why are there 90,000 children in the UK currently living in care, and who is looking out for them? The answer, sadly, is not many people. A life in care for some involves severe abuse, neglect, emotional disembodiment and a strong sense of rejection.
Watching his eyes glisten and his voice choke as he reminisces about his late brother is utterly heartbreaking. To not only lose a close sibling, but also one who was ripped away at a time when they could have bonded all the more through puberty is unthinkable.
Morrissey’s quest to find with the people he grew up with in the home brings a bittersweet reunion.
“I do have black days,” mutters one of his ‘sisters’ from the care home whose lasting problems are evident.
The harrowing anecdotes of the two men who suffered abuse whilst at the same home at Neil’s brother were earth-shatteringly distressing. It’s almost impossible to watch without your jaw slowly dropping in horror and dismay.
Of all the people he met in this programme, not one seemed to have fully got over their experience as a Care Home Kid, and still battle with the same demons that stole their childhood in the first place. Morrissey’s guilt and anger that his experience wasn’t so bad in comparison, is a natural reaction for someone so empathic and again, the mystery of what happened to his brother reared its ugly head once more.
Despite his fight for retribution by meeting the social worker who rubber-stamped him and his brother’s demise into care, it transpires that although he thought he had a relatively normal childhood and was no more than a scallywag, it transpires that the authorities felt his parent’s were not doing enough to care for him and his brothers, and thought it best to place them into the care system, something which goes on regularly to this day.
Morrissey’s story certainly isn’t unique and the care system is something that desperately needs reviewing in this country, but with nationwide cuts and a constant demonising of youth today is it any wonder why so many young offenders in youth prisons have been through the care system?
As he so poignantly puts it; ‘there was a line in my report that said, “case closed”. But the case is never really closed.’
Words echoing the cries of many, Neil.
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