Boy in the Cupboard

by Shane Dunphy

Three heart-stopping stories of children trapped by their parents' pasts ...

Craig, the little boy who can't speak English, isn't allowed to use his real name and hides food around his playschool, afraid he'll be hungry again. His parents are trying to make a fresh start, but their gangland bosses are about to catch up with the family and Craig will pay a terrible price...

Edgar is a twelve-year-old boy who nobody wants, not even the staff at the residential unit where he lives. Just when it seems that there might be a way of getting through to Edgar, his mother reveals a secret that changes everything ...

Vinnie is a teenage boy who knows exactly what his gangster father is capable of, of how he makes problems disappear. He also knows that he had become a very big problem for his father ...

... One man's fight to give these children the future they deserve.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, True Crime

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Shane Dunphy is the million-selling author of non-fiction titles relating the years he spent as a child protection worker. He is an accomplished musician and has composed soundtracks for television and radio. Dunphy is an award-winning documentary maker and he writes regularly for Independent newspapers. He also writes a series of crime novels under the pseudonym S.A. Dunphy.

Reviews

[Karina]

I didn’t think very highly of the social workers. Turning up for work day after day hung over and most probably still intoxicated with the excessive amount that Melanie always seemed to be drinking, ok she was going through serious issues but how can you go into peoples lives and tell other people how they being bad parents and separate family’s when your in that state !

[Charlotte]

Very good

[Charlotte]

Good book

[Cindy D'Silva]

Heartbreaking to see how some people treat their kids. Also comforting to know that some parents care about their kids.

[Gillian]

Enjoyed this will read more of this author

[Theresa Dudley]

Slow builder. There are some horrible people out there

[Anna]

Honestly love all his books

[Ursula Kelly]

I found this a really good book at highlighting the plight of children of abuse in Ireland..... It is the story of in particular 2 children, but the book also tells the story of the parents of one of the boys and also a social worker's own private terrible tale too. The only 'fault' should I find one would be that I found the book a bit egotistical.....I am well aware of the brilliant work for children that the author has done throughout his career as a care worker but I (personally) just felt the book was in a way letting the reader know about all the good the author was doing (which I will add again I'm not denying); rather than centering more on the reason the book was written i.e. to highlight the plight of abused children. That said it was a great book to read from a case study point of view; which I need for a course I am currently doing.

[Jermaine Tan]

"It is an unequivocal belief of mine that love is a basic human right - children, in particular, are entitled to it." (pg 278)

It's more than just a fight to be a child protection worker. The author nearly lost his life. It takes more than courage to do the work he does as sometimes courage can fail us. It's love. And the belief that everyone, especially children, should be loved.

Note (pg 45) :
Unconditional positive regard - a concept developed by the great therapist Carl Rogers which is a kind of mantra for social-care workers. It means that no matter what a client has done, no matter how they treat you, you always deal with them with absolute respect ad warmth. In many ways, it is the toughest part of the job, but it is absolutely essential.

[Katie]

Firstly, if you are looking for a read that is a heart wrenching, tear jerker then this is not the book. Although it highlights briefly on the children and I really do mean briefly, it doesnt give you much about them. The book is mostly about the adults involved; the care workers and gangsters. To be honest, I actually only think the children are put into the book to try and make it sell. It seems that the writter is quite self involed and its more about praise to himself than the heartache, agony and difficulty the children have had to endure. At the end you get the most minimal description of where the children are up to now in their lives and that none of the abusers mentioned were brought to justice.
This certainly wasnt the read I was expecting and I have been left very disappointed.

[Sabrina Rutter]

In this book Shane Dunphy shares three seperate cases he worked on during his time as a child protection worker, and the things that were going on in his life during the time he was working those cases.
Some of the things in this book seemed to outrageous to be true, but who am I to say he is lying. I can't go into it without giving away some of the story so I'm just stating my opinion and leaving it at that. This didn't make me dislike the book at all though. The writing was good and easy to follow, and did keep my interest.

[Karen]

While in no way do I want to trivialise the horrific situations that arise here, or cast doubt on their accuracy, what really bugs me is that it becomes much less about this than about Dunphy's attempt to cast himself as a kind of vigilante superhero.



Yes, I think people who work in child protection do deserve immense recognition but not blatant self-congratulation. This was not perhaps his intention but what he is definitely not is an accomplished writer. Stick to what you know.

[Joe]

I found this book very interesting, as I do with nearly all books in this genre.
What was different about this book, however, was that it detailed multiple unrelated cases alongside what was happening in the author's personal life. While some people do not like this as they feel it is self centred and egotistical I actually felt this made the book feel much more real. It showed the struggle to maintain a personal life in these types of jobs and really highlights the blurring of the lines between private and work lives that is all to real when working in these sort of jobs.

[Faye Natasha]

Shane Dunphy is a great author and clearly an even more amazing Social Worker. This is the second book of his I have read, like the first it was very hard to put down! I would highly recommend his work to anyone who wants to be a Social Worker like myself, you get a real insight to what heartbreaking situations you will be faced with.

[Ariel]

I thought that this was a good book. I felt for Shane and all of the children and families mentioned within it. It gripped me by heart and took me into realising what may go on behind closed doors and what the authorities really do. Well done.

[Patricia Kaniasty]

This book took me to the edge of frustration and back. I wanted to hear more about the kids and not so much about the adults involved. I like reading these kinds of books because they always fill me with hope. Hope that there are still good people in the world.

[Melissa Crady]

I'm glad to read at the end that someone was able to reach out to Edgar and he and his sister got to know each other. Its not a happy ending of course but it has a promise for a future. I wish them the best of luck.

[Kirndeep]

This is an amazing book about the growth of children. It's really sad wht they have to go to but hats off to Dunphy because he does everything he possibly can to ensure that the kids get a better future.

[Georgina Ball]

Well written book but rather short. It was ok but I've read similar books which have a bit more feeling in them.

[Bookworm86]

Fantastic author. Amazing guy. Loved this book and looking forward to reading next one. Down to earth writing

[Tracy Bethell]

bit disapointing,should have focused on one case,not several,got a bit confusing at times

[Fiona]

This read like fiction! But in a good way.

[Jen]

very interesting

[J.J. Nortyperson]

A very clear account of cross-cultural problems and isolation. Shane's adaptability in his work with young people is inspirational.

[Petra Balisova]

very interesting, reality kicking