Katy Weitz

I went in for the shock value (I know, I know, one should not say it out loud), I stayed for the heartfelt account of how the neo-liberal management systems so popular in the last 20 years around the world damage the people involved at all levels: families, women, babies, workers. As an early years educator, the frustration and rage I found in the narration resonated with my own experience, most than anything the feeling of impotence at seeing people in our care missing out on important rights because of the idiotic idea that public health (or education) should be treated as a business, instead of a tax-funded, rights-based service; and the feelings of insecurity and anxiety that come with the knowledge that no manager at any level will protect us from the terrible consequences of any accusation, mo matter how far-fetched. How easy it is to destroy a carer's, midwife's, nurse's or early years educator's life because of an innuendo or an angry reaction from a parent or a relative, and how difficult it is to clear the air when the accusation evaporates.
Definity on my "should be read in schools" shelf.… (meer)

** spoiler alert ** This was an interesting read. As with all books in this genre I wondered why I wanted to read such a sad story. Tressa was so strong, but just couldn't quite shake her questionable background. Every time I thought she had finally pulled herself up she would fall even further. I'm not sure if social services really did the right thing for her. I don't understand why, towards the end, she didn't ask for help with getting drug dealers out of her flat. That just really baffled me and could have saved her a lot of pain.

This is an interesting read - if you can handle the sadness.… (meer)