Shifting the Narrative Around Children in the Care System

Shifting the Narrative Around Children in the Care System
 

Perhaps one of the most profound aspects of *Still a Bit of Frost About* is its portrayal of life within the care system, revealing a side that is often hidden or sanitised. When he was separated from his siblings, Quinn was repeatedly shuffled between different children’s homes and eventually sent to Fallowfield boarding school, an institution for “troubled children.” Yet Quinn’s “trouble” was a reaction to a life of relentless instability, trauma, and lack of support.
 
Fallowfield was no sanctuary. There, Quinn was subjected to humiliating and abusive treatment, like being forced to strip off his underwear in the dormitory. The environment was one where any form of “bad behaviour” resulted in punishment, where the staff appeared more focused on control than care. Such details challenge the assumption that children in care receive consistent support and compassion. Quinn’s memoir asks readers to consider the real struggles these children face and to question the shortcomings of a system that is supposed to help them heal.
 
Why Stories Like This Are Needed to Shift Our Understanding

 ‘Still a Bit of Frost About’ is more than just a recounting of hardships; it’s a call to see beyond the labels of “poor,” “troubled,” or “damaged.” Quinn’s experiences force readers to confront the reality that people who endure poverty and abuse are not defined by those experiences alone. Rather, they are shaped by the resilience they find to survive, and, as Quinn demonstrates, by the strength to eventually tell their stories.
 
By sharing the intimate details of his life, Quinn challenges readers to think differently about those who come from backgrounds of hardship. His story gives a voice to countless others who might never have the chance to share their experiences. In doing so, he shifts the narrative around poverty and abuse from one of pity or judgment to one of compassion and understanding.
 
‘Still a Bit of Frost About’ pushes us to question our assumptions and look deeper. It’s a reminder that behind every hardship is a human story, and that by listening to these stories, we can begin to reshape our understanding of the struggles that others endure. Through his honest and moving memoir, Leo Quinn has given us all a chance to see the world a little more clearly, challenging us to be more compassionate, more aware, and more committed to making a difference.

*'Still A Bit Of Frost About' by Leo Quinn is published by ShadowScript Pubications (2024).