Another fight has awakened seven-year-old Jacqueline and her siblings, Lucinda and Jonathan. Terrified, they huddle in a dark room and listen to the shouting, hitting, and swearing. Before long, they too become the victims of their father's rage. But this time, the children are taken away in the middle of the night to begin a new life. Jacqueline, Lucinda, and Jonathan are about to discover what it is like to be loved-for the first time ever. It is the 1950s in rural New Zealand when the three children are placed in a foster home where they must learn new behaviors and a whole new way of life. Used to living behind locked doors and trusting no one, Jacqueline has difficulty making decisions for herself. But it is not long before she realizes that in her new home, she is accepted just as she is. As she and her siblings become acclimated to their loving environment and finally begin to relax, they have no idea that child welfare workers are determined to return them to their parents. "One Bead of Gold" is a poignant tale that provides an unforgettable glimpse into the foster care system through the eyes of abused children.