I have also recently read the book called "The Lost Boy". This book is the squeal to the book "A Child Called It." It was about this same little boy running away from his home and his mother going to search for him.  He runs to social services and is given a mentor that helps him take his mom to court.  He is given the opportunity to get justice from his mother and she was never ever to be around him or harm him at all.  He grew up to have a good life and a family that he took great care of because he was always determined to be nothing like his mother.