Caught in Traffick

Freya Barrington's previous book, 'Known to Social Services', gave us a frighteningly realistic insight into the harrowing world of the child protection social worker. Based on her own experiences, the book was a revelation and occupied the number one spot for social work books on Amazon UK within weeks of release and went on to win the autobiography/biography/memoir section of the 2015 London Book Festival and received an Honourable Mention at the 2016 Paris Book Festival.

Freya’s latest novel, 'Caught in Traffick' is the sequel to 'Known to Social Services', and continues the story of social worker Diane Foster. Set mainly in Thailand; Diane and her partner Ethan are on a working holiday, blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking against the beautiful backdrop of white beaches and glorious monuments. When four-year-old Darcie Taylor is abducted from a crowded beach, Diane and Ethan find themselves sucked into the horrifying world of child trafficking. When Darcie’s abduction is followed closely by the kidnap of another child, there can be no doubt that a well co-ordinated gang is operating in the area. A chance meeting with the Director of Social Services Nicholas Bishop leads to a shocking revelation about the man who is still Diane’s most senior manager. Together, they become embroiled in a dangerous web of subterfuge and corruption, where organised crime syndicates and depraved sex offenders engage in a desperate battle of wits against those dedicated to their downfall. Trapped within this labyrinth of immorality are the children, who are sacrificed on the altar of greed and perversion for financial gain. With the gang’s tentacles reaching across to England, Diane is shocked to find herself faced with some old adversaries. With gripping twists and turns, hair-raising rescue attempts and heart breaking tragedies which leave you in despair; 'Caught in Traffick' will open your eyes to the disturbing underground world of child trafficking.


Caught in Traffick was awarded an Honorable Mention in the General Fiction Section of the 2016 London Book Festival.

Please do visit and like Freya’s author pages on Facebook, Google+ Goodreads. Thank you.

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Thursday 28 May 2015

Known to Social Services; Changing People's Views on Social Work


My debut novel, Known to Social Services, continues to provoke comment and discussion, the vast majority of which, I am pleased to say, is positive. I am particularly happy about this, as one of the motivators for writing the book was to raise the profile of social workers and allow the general public a glimpse into the day-to-day life of a social worker.  Many readers have told me that they had “no idea” what social workers really did until they read Known to Social Services. 

Often stereotyped and negatively portrayed, especially in the media; most people’s idea of a social worker is a female in a flowing kaftan, dangly earrings and sandals who is doling out tea and sympathy in a totally ineffective manner. Alternatively, we are seen as spiky haired, judgemental busybodies who have no people skills, but who simply breeze in and out of people’s lives, snatching children away from their parents as they go.  Male social workers are outnumbered by their female counterparts, but do not escape; they are seen as tweed wearing individuals with leather elbow patches, who might even smoke a pipe. They are foggy in their thinking and faltering and hesitant when it comes to taking action.

I am extremely satisfied to learn that Known to Social Services, has in some small way, set the record straight in this regard. Some readers, who have been literally wide eyed with incredulity on having finished the book have told me that they “take their hats off to social workers if this is what it’s really like”, and it is …… ask any social worker.

On a more serious note, I was approached at a book signing by a worried student of social work who had read the book. She asked me, “Is it really like this?” I had to be honest and tell her that while I had brought together many “worst case scenarios”, the job of child protection, was in fact, pretty much like the book. She thought for a moment before telling me, “Then I think I’m going into the wrong job”. Far from being horrified to think that Known to Social Services had ruined this poor young woman’s career choice, I was of the view that it was better to find out early in her training, rather than embarking on a job, which she herself did not feel able to do. Many newly qualified social workers, me included, have found themselves totally unprepared for the reality of the job. I firmly believe, that alongside all the theory books and the practical placements, there is great value in works of fact-based fiction such as Known to Social Services.

I am aware that Known to Social Services has been, or is going to be, read in several social work book groups. This is a great honour, and I hope that students and qualified social workers alike can benefit from the experiences, which are told in narrative in the book.

A recent article by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council endorsed the use of social work book groups. The full article can be found by following the link below.

http://www.niscc.info/index.php/news/8-news/294-social-work-book-groups-are-useful-learning-tool-for-social-workers

My advice to the young woman’s dilemma was to advise her that there are many roles within social work, not all of which require you to work on the front line of child protection, though some experience in this field is essential. I urged her to consider all her options before making any drastic decisions, but felt once again, that the book had enlightened someone as to the reality of the job.

In the book, the central character is social worker, Diane Foster, who is hardworking, dedicated, and completely focused on her role as a voice for the children she supports and represents. One of the young people Diane is striving to help is 15-year-old Jessica Jackson. Readers have asked me if Jessica was “real”. While Known to Social Services is based on my personal experiences as a social worker, it is of course fictionalised with all identities protected.  Jessica’s character is a blend of several cases I worked, which involved emotionally confused teenage girls. Sad to say, many such cases do not have good outcomes. However, I would like to close this blog by telling you about one case, which did have a positive end result.

One young woman I worked with was like Jessica Jackson, in that she had moved around the care system for several years, and at 15 years of age, had become embroiled with the wrong crowd. Like Jessica in the story, I felt that this young woman, who I shall call Karen, needed a secure placement for her own safety and welfare. Karen was using class A drugs and was known to be working as a prostitute to support her habit. She constantly ran away from foster placements, which prompted the Local Authority placed her “out of county” – miles from the bad influences and her unhelpful family, in the hope that a fresh start may help. It didn’t. Karen continued to spiral downward, until the Local Authority was left with no choice but to apply for a secure order. I had campaigned for a secure placement for many weeks, but the courts quite rightly require a great deal of evidence to convince them, that depriving a young person of their liberty is in their best interest.

I presented Karen’s case to a panel, and was asked where she was at that precise moment. I knew that she was once again on the run, and likely to come to further harm if action was not taken. The order was agreed in principal, and when it was presented in court, the judge was of the same view. The problem then, was finding Karen who had once again, made herself scarce.

The police were involved, and to cut a long story short, she was finally “caught” after a chase through a local supermarket. At the police station, Karen was highly agitated, and violent. She threw anything she could lay her hands on at me, including her dinner, and screamed abuse for what seemed like forever. However, we had her safe, and transported her to the secure unit where she would remain for 3 months. It was her last hope of making some sense of her sadly messed up life. I visited Karen regularly; at first, she refused to speak to me, but slowly, she and I began to build a relationship. It was a fragile thing at first, but gradually, she came to trust me and understood I was actually on her side, though it didn’t seem that way in the beginning. I did a lot of direct play therapy with Karen and was delighted to see positive changes in her. She was in a drug rehabilitation group, where she became the star member. She put on much needed weight and engaged in groups with other girls, designed to build up her shattered self-esteem.

Karen was rehabilitated into the community 3 months later and managed to stay in a loving stable foster home. Her case was passed to the long term care team and that was the end of my involvement with Karen …… or so I thought.

Three years later, I arrived at work to find a letter on my desk; it was from Karen. She wrote to say that she was now 18 years old. She had a steady boyfriend and a job. She was expecting her first baby later that year. Karen wrote to say that she had hated me with a passion. She hated all social workers, but after being in the unit for those 3 months, she realised that I was on her side and was trying to help. She was writing to say thank you. The spelling was poor, the writing wonky and the grammar appalling, but I have never had a sweeter letter in my life.

Social work; it has its highs and its lows and if I’m honest the lows often seem to outweigh the highs, but when you get a “Karen” – it makes it all worthwhile and you go out and do it all again, always hoping that the next child is another Karen.


Freya



Monday 25 May 2015

Another 5* review on Amazon for Known to Social Services

I am really pleased to report that my debut novel, Known to Social Services has received yet another 5* Amazon review;

I loved this book! When I see lots of 5 star reviews I often wonder if they're genuine, or if the author has got everyone they know to add them, but in this case it was well justified. I too am a social worker and have written my own novel about social work, please adopt me, but everything said in this book rang true. I loved the main characters, Diana and Glenda, who strive to keep local children safe. They behaved exactly as I recall from my days in child protection and the clients too are very authentic. This would be a great book for anyone to read who is considering social work as a career, or who just wants to know more about it. Medical romance and stories have been available for years and much enjoyed by the public, but there has been little similar for social work. Hopefully that can now change with myself and Freya Barrington setting the tone. Social work is a rich and rewarding career and it so deserves a wider audience and not just coverage from one of the tabloids when things go wrong. Lynne Pardoe.

Many thanks to the author of the review

Freya 

Friday 22 May 2015

New Book; "Gozo; Is the Grass Greener?" by Freya Barrington - to be published by Faraxa Books

In 2010, Steve and I moved from the UK to the beautiful island of Gozo in the Mediterranean. At the time, I recorded our exploits in an online blog. Sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, but at all times candid and honest, the blog attracted over 45,000 hits in less than 12 months. At the time, many people contacted me to ask if I was going to publish the account of our move to Gozo in book form.



Freya by the sea in Gozo 









While the idea had occurred to me, it was no more than a pipe dream. Events then took a different turn when I took 12 months off from my role as a social worker, to write my first novel, entitled Known to Social Services, which was published in February 2015 by Faraxa Books. Known to Social Services was the #1 social work book on Amazon UK and has been met with positive reviews.




Freya's debut novel, Known to Social Services












Encouraged by this, I rethought the possibility of my online blog being rewritten in book form. Several months of work later, it was ready for submission under the title, Gozo; Is the Grass Greener?

I am absolutely delighted to report that Faraxa Books have agreed to publish the book.

Faraxabooks.com 

Many people dream of moving abroad to live and can be seduced by the idea of warmer climes and a better standard of living. The book looks at why we decided to move from the UK, and follows us on our epic and often hair-raising trip across Europe, with our old hairy lurcher in tow. It then gives an honest account of our lives in Gozo, and looks at whether or not the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence, or in our case, the other side of the water!




Our old lurcher Ollie who came too









The book also looks critically at our lives together and asks the same question; Is the Grass Greener? Both Steve and I have been married in before, and were warned by several well-meaning people that the grass would not necessarily be greener in a new relationship.

To see what the verdict was on whether or not the grass was greener, both in Gozo and for us as a couple, you will have to read the book, which should be released later this year J

Many thanks to Faraxa for their ongoing support.

Freya