Caroline is trying to catch up on the years she lost

The 13-year-old's early childhood was tainted with physical and mental abuse, neglect, rejection, and instability.

During that time she calculates she and her brother missed about two years of school in all and, not surprisingly, they're still trying to make up for lost time.

Speaking from the Derbyshire home of her long-term foster carers, Caroline - which is not her real name - says she's starting to realise what it's like to feel happy, and to have people around who care about her education.

"I used to live with my mum. When I was about four or five she got this new boyfriend Billy. He used to abuse us and hit us.

My mum and Billy didn't get up in time - they didn't really care if we went to school or not 'Caroline' Me and my education

"For every little thing we would get put on punishment. He made me sit on the stairs for six weeks once. I'd go to bed then get up and sit on the stairs, every day.

"Mum just sat there and did nothing really. She kept saying she was going to get us out of there but she never did.

"We never used to go to school that much, we got kept off for some reason. My mum and Billy didn't get up in time, because they used to lie in quite a lot.

"They didn't really care if we went to school or not.

"I think the school used to phone and say why weren't we coming, and I remember an inspector came. They said we were going to go to school but we never did.

"I missed all of Year 5. We used to move quite a lot, so we moved schools too.

"Mum never used to work. I think they were renting houses and as soon as they got in debt they'd run off and move to a different house.

"Eventually my mum had to choose between us and Billy and she chose us. They split up and he moved away.

'Not even a kiss'

"She used to make me do all the work in the house. Then she got this new boyfriend Mike and it was twice as bad. He didn't hit us but I had to do twice as much work.

"I was about eight or nine. I think I went to school twice when she was with Mike, in about six months.

"I thought it was a bit weird that everyone was going to school except me."

Caroline, her brother, and their two half-brothers were left to fend for themselves at home while their mother went to live in Mike's flat.

"I had to get all the washing from Mike's house, take it all to our house, wash it, iron it and take it back to them, all nice and clean. I had to go shopping and do all my own cooking.

"I used to get nothing back. Not even a kiss."

Things came to a head about three years ago when Caroline told her grandmother she'd "had enough" at home, and she rang social services.

Later that week the two children were collected to go into care.

When the kids came to me I was absolutely shocked and appalled Isobel, foster carer

"I gave my mum a cuddle goodbye and she wouldn't let me go. She started saying that she loved me and that.

"That was the first time ever that she told me she loved me, the day I left."

After a successful application the children's grandparents fostered them for a year.

"It would have been longer but my nan wasn't very well," said Caroline.

"I started Year 6 then. Work-wise I got my head down and tried to catch up. I did a couple of hours homework every night."

After a spell with an interim foster family the children moved in with their long-term foster carers, Isobel and Brian.

"It was a bit odd coming to a different place. I had to get used to everybody.

"I've caught up quite a bit at school. Most of the people at school just mess about, but I just work my way through."

Although not all the teachers need to know about Caroline's background, as a child who is being looked after by the authorities a close eye is kept over her at school.

Full potential

She has a designated 'looked after' teacher, and a personal education plan has been devised to chart her progress.

Regular meetings with the head of year and the family's two social workers allow them to catch up with how she's doing.

So far the school is pleased with both children, says their foster mum's social worker Hazel, although Caroline's brother has special educational needs which should have been picked up far earlier.

"I want to catch up more and do well," says Caroline, adding that she wants to be a hairdresser.

Although she is positive about her progress the teenager does still have "plenty of track to cover," says Isobel.

"When the kids came to me I was absolutely shocked and appalled, and upset.

"I was astonished that kids could be allowed to be that far behind. If the parents didn't do some thing about it I thought someone else did.

"To me they seemed years behind what they should be.

"I was expecting the school to give them at least an hour's homework every night, but they didn't. So I marched off down the shops and got some books! Then I realised I was overdoing it.

'Really happy'

"We have learned from each other since then. It's just so important that they reach their full potential."

Does Caroline feel angry about the start she got in life?

"I was talking to Isobel about it the other day, how I feel different from everyone else. It's hard to explain how you feel really.

"I've had phone contact with my mum and have seen her once. It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.

"She says she was going through a rough patch in life, that she'd lost her way or something. But she's lied to me so many times I don't know if I can believe her.

"I can imagine building a relationship with my mum, but I can't imagine being back living with her.

"Everything's different here. I don't get beaten up, I go to school...I'm always allowed out, unless I'm grounded and that has to be for a good reason!"

"I'm really happy now. Looking back I don't think I was ever happy before.