Another fascinating and eloquent tale from Casey Watson, specialist foster carer to children who have difficulties settling in care. Writing under a pseudonym, Casey’s tales of her foster children highlight problems within our society today and the relevance of them just slaps your awareness. 15 year old Keeley joins Casey’s family after running away from her previous carers. Casey sets the scene so well, you really feel her voice, and her energy shines vibrantly alongside her ability to look beyond the obvious. This particular tale really provokes thoughts and so it should, the internet can be a horrendously scary place if not managed properly. ‘Groomed’ is a compelling, heart-aching and eye-opening read. ~ Liz Robinson
The Jonathan Ross Show has just started when Casey gets the call. She thinks it will be Riley - telling her that her favourite actor is going to be on TV. But it's something far more urgent: a fifteen-year-old girl who has run away from her foster family and accused her foster father of sexual abuse. The family deny in vehemently, but such an allegation can never be taken lightly, so a new home must be found for Keeley. Keeley is polite, but she's sharp, and she has all the hallmarks of a child who has been in the system a long time, and knows how to play it. Whether the allegation is true or not, Casey knows there will be no winners here. If it is true, then a young girl's life has been torn asunder. If not, then the heartache for the family will only be surpassed by the bleak outlook for Keeley. In the short term, it's a case of providing a safe, supportive home for a vulnerable child. But with the dangerous world of the internet at her disposal, it seems this strong-minded youngster has her own ideas of where that safe place should be...
Casey Watson is a specialist foster carer. She has been working in this field for six years after giving up her position as a behaviour manager for a local school. During this time she has welcomed 14 difficult to place children into her home. As a specialist foster carer she works with profoundly damaged children, seeing each child through a specific behavioural modification programme, at the end of which they will hopefully be in the position to be returned either back to their family or into mainstream foster care. Casey combines fostering with writing, usually late at night when the rest of the family is sleeping. During her spare time she is working towards a degree in Psychology and Criminology. Casey is married with two grown-up children and three grandchildren. The name Casey Watson is a pseudonym.
