The challenging story of a young person’s progress through care, prison and social rejection to youth justice specialist. It charts failures to connect with and modify the author’s chaotic early life moving from place to place, school to school, fragmented parenting and poor role models. Encircled by crime, drugs and baffling adults, Andi Brierley ended up first in a young offender institution then prison where he learned to think like a prisoner for his own survival, making everything harder for everybody on release. Until he determined to change and others saw his unenviable past could be put to good use.

Shows how small things can make a difference. Contains many insights for professionals, students and others interested in young people in trouble. An addition to Waterside’s acclaimed turn around stories, including Alan Weaver’s So You Think You Know Me?, Ben Ashcroft’s Fifty-one Moves and Justin Rollins’ The Lost Boyz.