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Films/Videos The Changeling (FILM) ​ 1980 The Changeling was a 1980 Canadian horror film. After the tragic death of his wife and daughter, a music professor, John Russell (played by George C Scott) is staying at a Seattle mansion and becomes involved in an old mystery. Investigating the history of his house (which seems to be haunted), John finds out that a boy was murdered there in 1906 by his father. The father then replaced the dead boy with one from an orphanage, then took the lad off to Europe claiming to be seeking a cure for his son’s illness. The adopted boy is now an old man, a US Senator, and patron of the historical society which owns the house where John Russell is living. External Website

Films/Videos The Cider House Rules ​ 1999 The Cider House Rules (1999) is an adaptation of the eponymous book by American writer John Irving. Homer Wells (Toby McGuire) grows up in an orphanage in Maine, run by Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine). Children are treated well at the orphanage. Dr Larch trains young Homer to become an obstetrician. After Larch’s death, Homer Wells returns to the orphanage to become the new director. External Website

Writers Floella Benjamin ​ 1949- Trinidadian-British television presenter, writer, singer and politician, Baroness Floella Benjamin (b. 1949), was in foster care as a child. Floella Karen Yunies Benjamin was born in Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad. She was the second child of Veronica and Roy and remembers a happy secure childhood until her father decided to migrate to England. A year after Roy left, Veronica also left for England and Floella and siblings with left in foster care. When she was 10, and accompanied only by her siblings, Floella made the 15 day trip by sea from Trinidad to England. In 1976, Floella Benjamin became the presenter of Play School. This was the beginning of a long 30 year career in presenting and producing programs for children’s television. She was the first woman of African-Caribbean heritage to be appointed Chancellor of a British university, Exeter University, and served in the role for 10 years from 2006. External Website

Fiction by Care Experienced authors The Queen's Gambit: Walter Tevis 2020 When she is sent to an orphanage at the age of eight, Beth Harmon soon discovers two ways to escape her surroundings, albeit fleetingly: playing chess and taking the little green pills given to her and the other children to keep them subdued. Before long, it becomes apparent that hers is a prodigious talent, and as she progresses to the top of the US chess rankings she is able to forge a new life for herself. But she can never quite overcome her urge to self-destruct. For Beth, there's more at stake than merely winning and losing. External Website

Television Shows The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart ​ 2023 The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is an Amazon series starring Sigourney Weaver and Alicia Debnam-Carey and based on the novel by Australian Holly Ringland. Set in Australia, the series is centred on a flower farm specialising in Australian natives. The women on the farm create bouquets which have a meaning developed over generations. The farm also provides a refuge for women who’ve been battered by men. As well, there is a young woman who was taken in as a baby, and an orphaned girl who is being raised by her grandmother. External Website

Films/Videos Orphans ​ 1987 Orphans is a 1987 American drama film directed by Alan J. Pakula. Written by Lyle Kessler, based on his 1983 play of the same name, the film follows two orphaned brothers as they navigate life on their own. External Website

Poets Poems From a Runaway: A true story Ben Westwood ​ Ben Westwood was born in England and taken under the care of social services as a small child. He then constantly goes missing from foster carers and children's homes. His book, Poems From a Runaway, is a non-fiction real-life account in poetry of Ben Westwoods journey as a child runaway, constantly going missing from home. External Website

Films/Videos Mommie Deariest ​ 1981 An adaptation of Christina Crawford's 1978 memoir, this film depicts American film star, Joan Crawford, as Christina's abusive adoptive mother. External Website

Blogs/Web Pages/Articles Care Experienced Experienced History Month Care Experienced History Month 2020 April 2021 was the first-ever Care Experienced History Month. The webite includes a wealth of information including blogs on Global Perspectives of the History of Care before 1800, a history of care around the world, stories about Care Experienced people like writers JRR Tolkien and Maya Angelou, reoordings of lectures given throughout the month, and a host of other resources. External Website