Lost Soul: A Child's Perspective

How could an astute 11-year-old child called Susie manage to pull off the impossible by escaping from the grips of her abusive and dominant father? She knew in her mind that there would have to be a trade-off which she would have had to come to terms with, and possibly regret for the rest of her life.

Finding herself thrust into the care of the local authority, she is taken aback and shaken to the core by the contrast in the family that she has left behind and the new ‘family’ that she has now inherited.

She finds herself in a ‘no-man’s land,’ where she can either wait and see where life takes her, or admit defeat and return home to her abusive and dominating father, who she feels will have the upper hand over her, not only physically, but also psychologically.

Susie’s resolve is stronger than it has ever been, and although she is faced with feelings of despair and helplessness of being let down by the system that she thought was supposed to be there to protect her when she needed it most, she pushes through into what seems to be an uncertain future. She has a steely determination to face life head on, and is resolute in her mind to keep on going, pushing forwards to see where life takes her.

Arrabella had a dogged determination in her formative years to succeed in life. Her favourite academic subject was English literature. She was also very successful on track and field, representing her school and athletics club. Her ambitions were put on hold abruptly through personal family trauma. She never gave up on her goals, gaining an LLB degree and master’s in law at university as a mature student. She has held down several professional roles in the legal profession and the police constabulary. She works as a mentor, supporting international students. Arrabella has a ‘can do’ approach and uses every obstacle that she’s faced in life as a challenge to turn into a positive outcome. Her hobbies include, writing, gardening, walking, antiques, and meeting new people.