Dr Gary Clapton: ‘Tiny pieces here, tiny pieces there’ – the memories of a child in care

Jim was 56 when he saw his mother for the first time. Given into care as a baby, he was in children’s homes until he was 16, and, as was written about him, ­‘discharged’ from care to a ­subsequently failed housing ­tenancy because he had no life skills or ­maturity to maintain himself.