“I have had more than a dozen so-called mothers in my life.” 

Ashley’s early life is marked by instability and a constant craving for maternal love. In her years in foster care, she is shuffled between numerous families, meeting numerous foster mothers before, sooner or later, being moved on again, leaving her insecure and anxious. 

“My mother had a carefree attitude. She was too self-absorbed to fuss about my safety.” 

Lorraine appears to love Ashley and Luke, but she is not well suited to looking after them. Only a teenager when she has Ashley, she is selfish and unreliable, repeatedly disappointing her daughter and frequently refusing to take responsibility either for Ashley or her own mistakes. 

“When they ripped me from my family, nobody told me anything. I completely expected that I was going to end up wherever my mother and Luke were. I might have been too young for an explanation, but years would pass without anyone answering any of my questions.” 

One of the most consistent failings of the foster care system in Ashley’s case is the failure of anyone—from caseworkers to foster families—to honestly explain to her what is happening or why she is not being united with her mother. This compounds the trauma of the separation, leading Ashley to believe that she is responsible and leaving her increasingly confused and insecure about her future.