Ladybug, ladybug,
Fly away home.
Your house is on fire,
And your children will burn.

This is the story of a troublesome woman. A woman with a big heart and a big temper, who has had four children by four different fathers, and lost custody of all of them because she cannot function responsibly. Or, looking at it differently, it is the story of a woman persecuted by British social workers who slap her down every time she almost has her life together. The strength of the film is that there is truth to both interpretations: Yes, she is treated cruelly by social workers – and, yes, she is her own worst enemy (…) The movie is “based on a true story.” I never doubted that for a second. — Roger Ebert