Stolen Lives
A foster child's story from the forties
and fifties
Netta
England
Published by Netta Christian, June
2014, RRP $30.00
A powerful
and inspiring memoir from a woman determined to fight for justice for people who have endured neglect and abuse
while in state care.
Netta and
her older brother Ray hardly knew their mother. She was a strange woman who
made occasional visits, and they did not even know they had a father. Instead
from a very early age they lived with foster parents and at school were treated
as different. Growing up, Netta became increasingly aware that her foster
mother disliked her. Though never
starved, Netta suffered neglect, as well as mental, physical and sexual
abuse.
After her brother’s death in 1976, Netta, by then married with a grown
up family, began her long journey to learn about and understand what had
happened in the past. She wanted to find out if somewhere out there was a
family, her own family that she could belong to. How would she find them, and would they want
to know her? She needed to find her roots. Stolen
Lives is the record of Netta’s journey from a neglected and abused state
ward, to a woman who discovers her heritage and creates a positive life despite
her upbringing.
About the author:
Netta Christian (nee England) was raised with her brother Ray as a ward
of the state in Papatoetoe. She was educated at Papatoetoe Primary School and
Otahuhu College, where she passed her school certificate examination.
She worked for many years as a medical typist/clerk and was the sole
night person at Green Lane Casualty Department until it was closed down about
1976.
She also lived and worked in Sydney for ten years doing casual/temp
work, and later as an appointment maker for a telecommunications company. She
is widowed and has three grown up children and three grandchildren, and now
lives in a Hamilton Retirement village.
In April 2011 the NZ Herald ran a front-page top story about her wish to
start a support group for those who were abused in state care. She was also
interviewed on Radio New Zealand with Kathryn Ryan.
Netta’s self-proclaimed life’s work is to change the system of care and
get some justice for people who have endured neglect and abuse while in state
care. Netta believes that Stolen Lives
will be able to positively impact upon people who have had a similar
experiences and upbringing in care; the book is a beneficial read for all types
of people with particular interest from care givers and political activists.
Recently Netta joined forces with CLAN, Care Leavers Australia Network, www.clan.org.au , and she is the Director
of the NZ group. They have set up a Charitable Trust and are assisted by
Community Waikato.
View Netta’s story on
the CLAN website at www.clan.org.au/page.php?pageID=157
No comments:
Post a Comment