As a child of poverty, Liz Murray dealt with three agencies that are all too familiar in their insensitivity to those in need.
- Social Welfare – Liz remembers how caseworkers treated her family with authoritarian disrespect while they relished in the power they were able to wield.
- Child Welfare – Because she was poorly cared for by two drug-addicted parents and often truant from school, Liz was eventually placed in a government run group home. Harsh treatment by staff and residents gave here more suspicion of those who were supposed to help.
- School – Due to her poor physical appearance, Liz was often ridiculed by both staff and students. Being truant from school became her only option to save some shred of self-esteem.
If you are mentoring a child of poverty, be aware that you may be the only bright model in a world designed to reinforce their worthlessness.