num_pages: 320
description: The fifth book from bestselling author and specialist foster carer Casey Watson.A recent census shows that there are at least 175000 child carers in the UK 13000 of whom care for more than 50 hours a week. Many remain invisible to a system that would otherwise help them. Abigail is one of those children. This is her story.Ten-year-old Abigail has never known her father. Her mother Sarah has multiple sclerosis and Abigail has been her carer since she was a toddler  shopping cooking cleaning and attending to her personal needs. When Sarah is rushed to hospital suddenly this comes to the attention of the social services and Abigail has nowhere to go.Though she doesnt fit the usual profile of a child that specialist foster carers Casey and Mike Watson would take on they are happy to step in and look after Abigail. Its an emergency after all  and all thats needed is a loving temporary home while social services look into how to support the family so that they can be reunited.But it soon becomes clear that this isnt going to happen. Sarahs MS is now at a very advanced stage and the doctors are certain that there will no longer be periods of remission. Abigails emotional state starts to spiral out of control as she struggles to let go of the burden of responsibilities she has carried for so long.Sarah and Abigail insist that they do not need help but with no other family to contact social services are left with no choice but to find long-term care for Abigail against their wishes. But Casey never gives up on a child in need and she knows there must be another solution
language: English
title: Mummy’s Little Helper: The Heartrending True Story of a Young Girl Secretly Caring for Her Severely Disabled Mother
publisher: HarperElement