Doreen is a happy and precocious little girl, loved by her parents, Emily and Jim. Yet life for working class families in 1950s Manchester is tough and seeking a way out, Jim takes part in a robbery, only to be caught and sent to prison.It is an event of devastating consequences for Doreen, for when Jim returns, he discovers that Emily has found solace in the arms of another. In the recriminations that follow, Doreen finds herself abandoned, her life turned upside down. Just twelve years old, will Doreen be able to survive the tough streets of Manchester and avoid the clutches of the Children's Home, an institution that she has good reason to fear? Can Doreen's indomitable spirit prove strong enough to win her fight for survival against the odds?