Acclaimed children’s author Jacqueline Wilson has met young people, currently in care and recent care leavers, in Edinburgh who have lived the real experiences of Tracy Beaker to find out what they think about her creation in an exclusive feature for The Big Issue.
In the latest instalment, My Mum Tracy Beaker, published last month, we revisit central character Tracy Beaker as a single mother in her 30s living in a council estate with her nine-year-old daughter Jess.
Wilson met with people currently in care and recent care leavers involved with charity Who Cares? Scotland to discuss whether they felt that their real, lived experience was being reflected in popular fiction.
Ashley, 28 and recently graduated from university, says: “I didn’t realise until today that I’m the same age as Tracy and, like Tracy, I’ve been moved around a lot to the point where I’ve moved 53 times now. You were the first children’s author that I was exposed to as a young child in care and there was so much that I related to.
“However, we also face a lot of societal and structural stigma and it felt like this was a chance to change the narrative a bit – but I don’t feel like Tracy got her happy ending, the ending we all want and imagine.”
“I think you’re absolutely right and I’ve been thinking about the sequel I hope to write… I think it will be more satisfying for you,” Ms Wilson says. “I think a lot of people hoped that Tracy would automatically have fantastic relationships and a brilliant career and all the things that, nowadays, we think equal success.
“I was more interested in showing that she’s a brilliant mum even though she might still have faults – which mother is ever perfect? But showing that even though her own mum let her down repeatedly, she’s never once let her own daughter down.
“I think in the sequel we might help Tracy achieve some really great things, but I think it also has to be realistic,” she contined. “For every great success there are very many other kids who haven’t been able to get to that position, and I want everybody to feel a success story. But I think I will try very hard to make sure that the next Tracy book does have a really positive and yet realistic ending too.”
A few days later The Big Issue caught up with the author as she reflects on the meeting. “I found it very interesting and liked everyone enormously. I thought they were very brave in what they were saying – it’s not easy to sit in front of someone and try to point them in a different direction. I found it touching and illuminating to listen to their stories.”
Managing Editor of The Big Issue, Vicky Carroll, explained: “When news first emerged that Tracy’s destiny was to become a single-mum who was struggling somewhat on a council estate, we noticed that a few care-experienced kids were expressing disappointment that she was fulfilling a cliché of poor outcomes for kids that have been through the care system. They’d hoped for better from this character with whom they had identified.
“We spoke with Kenny Murray, who was in care himself and now works with Who Cares? Scotland, and he put us in touch with a few young people who had a lot to say. I approached Jacqueline Wilson’s agent to see if she would like to comment or – even better – to meet the young people in person to talk to them about Tracy and her future. She said she would like to, and so we’re delighted that it was such a positive experience, with Jacqueline saying she got a lot out of it.”
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