A father of two has just published a “heart breaking memoir” called Damaged.

In the book Chris Wild, 39, from Enfield, relays his memories of the care system with the stories of all the boys, girls, men and women he met along the way.

He explains: “I lived a very normal working class life then on the April 1, 1996 my dad caught chickenpox’s and died. Overnight the blue skies of my happy youth were coated with ominous dark clouds.

My childhood came to an end and my mum met an abusive man. I was expelled from school six times and I ended up in the care system.”

It wasn’t long until Chris ended up involved with street gangs, who were like “a new family”.

“The system let me down but the gang didn’t,” Chris explains, before adding: “There was normally a price to pay for their generosity, which meant me breaking the law.”

Chris tells me Damaged is for all the vulnerable young people in the care system, for the adults who suffer with addiction or mental health problems and it is also for the general public, so that they can reach out to that person in need.

It wasn’t easy to write he tells me: “It was emotional and it took its toll on my family. I was drinking a bottle of red wine a night to help me sleep. Things came back to me that my subconscious had locked away.

I wake up at 4am and I write. It’s impulsive reaction. I let me emotions lead the way. It starts in the head and ends in the heart. That’s how I convey my feelings.”

He adds: “I was able to get through my difficult time because of books like Damaged. I want it to inspire people to speak up and speak out.

“Most of all its about personal success, forgiveness, it’s about standing up, moving forward, living life. Whatever trauma you’ve been through take control, own it, it belongs to you.”

Find it at blinkpublishing.co.uk/damaged