简介：Childhoodiswaymoreinterestingthangenealogy,parentsmoreinterestingthangreatgreataunts.Thesearethethingsthatmakeyouwhoyouare.WhichiswhyNeilMorrissey:CareHomeKid(BBC2)issomuchbetterthatWDYTYA?ThatandthefactthatNeilMorrisseyhadanextraordinarychildhood. YoungNeilandhisfavouritebrotherStevewerelittlemenbehavingbadly,growingupinStaffordinthe1970s.Notthatbadly,though:theyusedtonickstufffromshopsandmoneyfromthetrousersinthechangingroomofthesportsclub.Sowhatsortofpunishmentdoyouthinktheygot,inthosepre-asbodays?Groundedforacoupleofweeks?Plusajollygoodtallking-to,andmaybealittleslapwithaslipper?No,theyhadtheirchildhoodsconfiscated,forever.Neil,whowas10atthetime,andSteve,whowasacoupleofyearsolder,weretakenawayfromthemagistratescourtseparatelytodifferentchildren'shomes.NeilwasatPenkhullchildren'shomeinStoke-on-Trentuntilhewas17. Hegotluckywithhiscarehome,saystherewasevensomelovethere.Butterriblethingsweregoingoninneighbouringplaces.Steve'swasaDickensianhellhole,thoughNeildoesn'tknowifStevewasabused–hediedawhileago.It'shardlysurprisingNeilisbitteraboutit,thathehasshutoutalotofthattime,andthatrevisitinghurts.Butthisisnotjustabouthim;thereare90,000kidswhodependonthestatefortheirparentingtodayandhewantstoknowifthingsarebetterforthemnowthantheywereforhimandSteve. HegoesbacktoPenkhull,meetssomeofthepeoplehewastherewith,getsholdofoldfiles,oneofwhichsayshismoralstandardswerenilandhedidn'tknowrightfromwrong.Andheconfrontsoneofthesocialworkerswhowasresponsibleforputtinghimandhisbrotherintocare.Itturnsoutthedecisionwasmoreaboutwhatwasgoingonathomethanabouttheshoplifting,butthischapstillgetsquiteasoftride.Didhehaveanyideawhatwentoninthoseplaceshewassendingchildrento? It'spainfulofcourse,asyouwouldexpectofthereopeningofoldwounds.It'salsotouchingandmoving.Youcomeawayfromitthinking–inspiteofhisbadbehaviour,nilmoralstandardsandinabilitytotellrightfromwrong–thatNeilMorrisseyhasdoneremarkablywelltoturnoutthewayhehas.Butalsothatheisoneoftheluckyones.…