Matthew Huggins
I’ll Love You If
I’ll Love You if is a harsh, but true portrait of a hard life, through an inspiring journey to success. Unlike the majority of children in care, Matthew Huggins asked to be taken from home; an unhappy place where he was regularly used as a punch bag by his mother’s drunken boyfriend and suffered bouts of severe depression.
But the care system that was supposed to save him served only to compound the problems he had and added to them. Numerous moves from place to place, bullying, sex games and intense therapeutic analysis all featured until he left care at sixteen, without any qualifications and no support.
Matthew survived and did well. He became the youngest councillor in England – he was only 21. He now runs his own company working with Councils across the UK on improving children’s services. But he has faced prejudice, political dirty tricks that would surprise even seasoned politicians, drug addiction and the rollercoaster of Bi-Polar disorder.
This honest account of a young man’s journey through childhood and early adulthood, along with a unique insight into the care system and local politics, will touch you, horrify you, surprise you and inspire you in equal measure.
20% of the author’s royalties for ’I’ll Love You If...’ are being donated to the leading mental health charity Mind. If you are affected by the issues in this book and would like to contribute to the work of Mind visit www.mind.org.uk.
Author
As Chief Executive of Care Matters Partnership and Public Matters, businesses he founded, he brings a high level circle of influence in the care sector and political arena having spoken at many conferences across the country, as Trustee to the Caldecott Foundation and BAAF and an advisor on several key Government working groups on Care Matters: Time for Change.
This memoir is a unique resource for professionals including foster carers, adoptors, social workers, teachers, designated teachers, councillors, senior managers and the wider children’s workforce. I’ll love you if also serves as an inspiring and informative journey for young people and those who have experienced addiction or mental health problems.
The book explores issues such as:
- Children in care (fostering and residential homes)
- Care leavers
- Employment for vulnerable young people
- Education of looked after children
- Physical and sexual abuse
- Adoption
- Politics and local government
- Youth work
- Drug addiction
- Suicide
- Parenting
- Mental health and bi-polar disorder
Reader Reviews
“As a care leaver myself, I took to reading this book with the view of reading someone else’s experience of being in care. Instead I found myself feeling understood and inspired. I admired Matthew’s courage for writing the book and for being so honest. I can imagine the nerve racking wait for a response from people who have a different account to his experiences, especially coming from the staff, social workers, other people who grew up in the homes, etc, as they are such personal memories, and for someone else to tell them different to your perspective, can be quite frightening. So, I really do admire his courage for being honest and telling his story, as I do not think I would be able to do that myself. Thanks for an inspiring read and for a book I enjoyed reading for once! ”
“Being a big fan of the ’misery memoir’ I was expecting another rendition of a tragic childhood. Instead, what I got was a refreshing, true reflection of what it is like to grow up in care. He beautifully captures the search for unconditional love felt by many children in the care of the state. Unlike many autobiographies ’I’ll Love You If...’ offers a balanced approach of life with constant challenges.”
“If part one is `Cuckoos Nest’ then the second half is definitely `Carlito’s Way’, one man who tries to break from his past but hey just won’t let him. Some of the tales of prejudice and exploitation are both sad and shocking, especially as they come from the very people who are suppose to be the guardians of the care system. This goes well beyond the average misery memoir; a great story that is very informative of the modern care system and those who run it.”
Press Reviews
Children and Young People Now published a review of I’ll love you if... in September 2009. The review was written by sector leader and Chief Executive of the Care Leavers Foundation. Read the review here.
Do you have a review of I’ll love you if? If you have read the book and want to share your thoughts either privately with Matthew or potentially for publication on our website then please write to Matthew.
Matthew Huggins regularly gives inspirational talks at conferences, seminars and to groups of young people, in particular children in care and care leavers. He draws from his own experiences of the struggle from a difficult childhood and the lowest starting point educationally to later success in life. He has also presented awards to young people at children in care awards across the country. To discuss Matthew speaking at your event contact Hayley Woods.
Speeches and articles related to the book:
‘I’ll love you if...’ launch speech – on June 6th at the House of Commons a packed room of guests from friends, family, colleagues, sector leaders and press gathered to celebrate the launch of I’ll Love You If...
Young Minds Magazine published an article from Matthew on his experiences of mental health as a child and young man, detailed in I’ll love you if...
Who Cares? Magazine, read by children and young people in care, published an interview with Matthew Huggins about the journey to writing I’ll love you if...