Behind the emotional toll of child protection work

In the early chapters, the author sets out her reasoning for writing this book. In summary, Thornhill aims to educate the general public on the difficulties of the child protection system and other public services. She offers insight based on her own experiences, critical analysis of its limitations, and advocates for reform. Thornhill succeeds in doing all this – and much more. Her memoir sheds light on the complexities and emotional challenges of working in child protection and offers a frank and moving account of the legal battles, ethical dilemmas and personal struggles that arise within child care proceedings.

The human aspect of this book is very compelling, with real-life experiences and stories of those with whom she has worked, both professionals and families, which highlights the stark reality of the state of the legal system.

The reason why I feel that this book goes beyond educating the general public is that it seems a perfect and honest introduction to the realm of child protection work for aspiring lawyers. Thornhill weaves in her own journey into the legal profession and touches on wider issues, such as diversity, and finding her feet in a very middle-class and male-orientated profession. She discusses the injustices of the legal system, asks difficult questions, and her thoughts are supported by research, facts and figures. There is no doubt that Thornhill is well-versed in child protection work and an expert in her field.

Working in the child protection realm myself, I found Thornhill’s honesty about the emotional toll of the work refreshing, and I was able to relate to the personal challenges that she has faced. I was also able to empathise with many of the real-life characters, as my clients (survivors of abuse who often end up having their own children removed due to mental ill-health) come to me with similar stories of their own battles with social services and child care proceedings.

The only negative, in my view, is that the footnotes were at the back of the book, meaning that I had to flick back and forth. I much prefer it when they are at the bottom of each page. Nevertheless, that did not deter me because the book was so engaging.

Amy Clowrey is a child abuse solicitor at Switalskis Solicitors