About a Home Child

Inspired by real stories of Canada’s home children, About a Home Child follows a core group of poor and orphaned children at Dr. Barnardo’s Home in East London, who were given free shelter and an education by their benefactor, then shipped across the pond and placed in employment across rural Canada. From the streets of Britain to Canada’s vast unknown, their uncertain journey unfolds. Barnardo’s Homes first opened in East London, in 1867, to provide free shelter, meals, and education for poor and orphaned children. Despite their troubled pasts, these kids found family in each other. But over the decades, as demands grew and funding dwindled, Barnardo’s must look toward a different future for their charges. They must look toward Canada. This gripping novel, inspired by a real chapter of history, follows a group of home children in 1923 who are separated from their family, friends, and homes and placed in employment across rural Canada. While a few find a happy new life, many face hardship and abuse. In About a Home Child, Caroline Fernandez delivers a tale of friendship, survival, and resilience.