'Urgent' take on Britain's care home system to Bonnier

Bonnier Books UK has acquired world rights for an “urgent and critical” look at Britain’s care home system by youth advisor Chris Wild.  

Beth Eynon, senior commissioning editor, acquired world all language rights to The State of It: Stories from the Frontline of a Broken Care System direct from the author for the Metro list of John Blake Publishing. It will be published on 10th June 2021 in hardback, e-book and audiobook. 

Chris Wild is an author, care home consultant, government advisor, national youth advisor for young people and a charity patron for 20 charities working in this area. An advocate and campaigner, he has just been selected for the board on a new independent review of children’s social care.   

His first book, Damaged (2018, Blink Publishing), told the story of his childhood and time in care, as well of those others young children in care he met along the way. 

Bonnier said: “Now Chris will delve deep into the lives of care home kids, from experiences with county lines, drugs, trafficking, knife crime, gang violence to child exploitation and sexual abuse. By telling the stories of the voiceless, the children who have been left behind, he hopes to evoke change. 

“How does the care system mould our young people and enforce who and what they can become? How can we class young people as adults at 16? What help do we really give children after their time in care is over, left to fend for themselves? Has the global pandemic and national response effort pushed these kids even further down the priority list?”  

Wild said: “Urgent and critical, The State of It will be the most important book you read this year. Government cuts, unregulated care homes, inadequate staff training—I’ve seen it all. The low standards and frequent abuse of children in care has long been a focal point of my message: we are failing our young people and something needs to change. My book offers a solution to government and the social care sector.” 

Eynon said: “I couldn’t be prouder to be publishing this call to arms, a manifesto on how we change the status quo, and a revelation on what is really going on in care homes and in children’s lives. Chris cares so deeply about care-experienced children and this is a book that everyone needs to read. Chris is an extraordinary author—and once he starts speaking, you won’t be able to look away.”