Join The Herd - Together we carry hope

The Herd

Dedicated to Clint, and to every child who has ever needed someone to believe in them.

The smallest are never meant to face the world alone.

For most of my career in child protection, I thought our work ended when a case file closed. Then one young boy taught me that sometimes the greatest impact of our work is something we never get to see.

Clint was just eleven when he came into our care after the death of his grandmother. His father loved him deeply, but alcoholism had made it impossible to provide the safe, stable home he needed. People often imagine a children's home must be frightening. I remember something very different. I remember Clint's excitement. For the first time in a long time, he knew where he would sleep, that there would be meals every day and that adults would keep their promises. For the first time in a long time... he felt safe.

Years later, after Clint had left our care, I learnt that he had carried a simple letter I had written to him when he was fifteen. It reminded him that I believed in him and that he mat...