Finding Stevie, page 21
‘It all seems a bit sudden, taking Liam and Kiri into care,’ Adrian said. ‘I thought they were being well looked after.’
‘They were,’ I said. ‘It’s not the level of care.’ I explained what had happened. They felt sorry for Stevie, but having been involved in fostering for a long time they understood why the action taken by the social services was necessary.
I didn’t hear from Verity or Edith that evening – I hadn’t expected to. By the time Verity had finished placing Liam and Kiri it would be quite late. I guessed Peggy and Fred wouldn’t be in any fit state to phone either. My heart went out to them as I pictured them at home, surrounded by their children’s belongings – toys, clothes, books and so on, but with the children gone. It would be dreadful. How were they coping? I couldn’t begin to imagine. I wondered if they’d tell their daughter – the children’s mother. I supposed at some point she would be told. Although she was in prison and Peggy and Fred had guardianship of the children, she had a right to know. My heart went out to her too. Locked in a cell, she had all the time in the world to think, worry and regret.
Emotionally drained, and physically exhausted from gardening, I did sleep that night. The following morning, when Stevie came down, I asked him if he’d managed to get some sleep and he said yes, but he’d had nightmares. ‘Little wonder with all this going on,’ I said.
‘Will I find out about Kiri and Liam today?’ he asked as I passed him the slice of toast he wanted.
‘Verity said she’s going to see you at some point,’ I said. ‘I expect she’ll phone me or you to say when.’ Sometimes social workers phone young people of Stevie’s age directly to make arrangements, which is fine as long as they remember to tell the foster carer.
‘Stevie, just one thing I need to say. If you do see Kiri and Liam out in the street with their carers, just walk away. I know it’s asking a lot, but until this is all sorted you need to stay away from them. Don’t approach them, will you?’
‘Where do they live?’ he asked.
‘I’m not telling you. You mustn’t go there. Do you understand?’ He nodded. Of course, there were ways he could find out where Liam and Kiri were living – go to their school and follow them home with their carers. It’s happened before: children are placed with a foster carer and the parents are not given the address for good reason, then a family member or friend goes to the school and follows them home.
‘What would happen if I did?’ he asked.
‘Kiri and Liam would probably be moved to another carer out of the area, which would result in them having to change schools. That would be very unsettling for them. I am sure you wouldn’t want that to happen.’
He shook his head and seemed to accept what I was saying.
I saw him off at the door, and at eight-thirty Verity telephoned from her mobile. ‘Kiri and Liam were placed yesterday evening,’ she said. ‘I’ll see Stevie after school this afternoon. Remind me again what time he gets home.’
‘Between four and four-thirty.’
‘OK. I’ll see you both then. Can you tell Stevie I’m coming, please?’
‘Yes. How were Liam and Kiri last night?’ I asked.
‘The move went smoothly. I’ll talk to you more about it tonight.’
Having said goodbye, I texted Stevie to tell him to come straight home, as Verity would be visiting us. I added Verity had said that Kiri and Liam’s move to the carers had gone smoothly, which I thought might reassure him.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Angry and Upset
Stevie arrived home at exactly 4 p.m. I asked him what sort of day he’d had and he just shrugged. He had time for a glass of water before Verity arrived, briefcase-style bag in her hand, and went into the living room where Stevie was already waiting. She wanted to see him alone first and said she’d speak to me afterwards, so I went into the kitchen and began peeling vegetables for dinner. I could hear the low hum of their voices and a few times I heard Stevie raise his voice.
Paula came home twenty minutes later and shouted, ‘Hi, Mum!’ as she let herself in. I quickly went into the hall and told her that Verity was with Stevie in the living room, and asked her if she’d had a good day.
‘Yes, but I need to use the printer,’ she said. ‘I’ve got to print out some worksheets our tutor has emailed to us.’
‘Do it now while it’s all quiet,’ I suggested. Although everyone had their own laptop, we shared a printer, which was by the computer in the front room.
Paula poured herself a drink and, taking a piece of fruit for a snack, went into the front room. The door to the living room opened and Stevie came into the kitchen. ‘She wants you now,’ he said moodily. He had red flushes of colour on his cheeks, which I’d noticed before when he got angry, emotional or upset.
‘Thank you.’ I headed for the living room.
As Stevie passed the front room on his way upstairs I heard Paula call out, ‘Hi, Stevie, how are you?’
‘Hello,’ he managed, his voice flat, and continued up to his room.
Verity was sitting on the sofa, her briefcase closed and at her feet. I sat in one of the easy chairs.
‘Stevie is angry with me for taking Liam and Kiri into care,’ she began. ‘Although I’ve explained why it was necessary.’
‘So have I,’ I said.
She nodded. ‘Mr and Mrs Jones are angry with me too, but the move went reasonably smoothly. I managed to persuade them that it would be better if Liam and Kiri came into care voluntarily under a Section 20 – the same as Stevie – rather than the social services applying to court for a care order. I also explained to them that it would be less upsetting for the children if they could try to be positive, but I knew it was asking a lot. Mrs Jones was very upset. I stayed with her while my colleague went with Fred to collect Liam and Kiri from school, then I explained to the children about coming into care while their grandparents were present. Seeing their grandmother in tears upset Kiri and Liam, but I have to say Fred was excellent. He did a good job of calming everyone down and then took Liam and Kiri upstairs to pack a bag, including their favourite soft toys.’
‘Good,’ I said. I knew how important those familiar things would be in helping the children to settle.
‘I asked Mr and Mrs Jones not to tell Kiri and Liam that the reason they were going into care was because Stevie had been seeing them when he wasn’t supposed to, as it could make them feel guilty. Fred told them that he and their gran were having a short break, as they were getting older and needed a rest, but that they would still see them after school some days and then eventually they could come home to live.’
‘Well done, Fred,’ I said, and I meant it. The reassurance from their grandfather would be invaluable. I was also pleased that Verity was giving me some detailed feedback.
‘It was after six o’clock by the time we got to the carers,’ she continued. ‘Once my colleague and I had placed Kiri and Liam, we left them to have their dinner. I’ve spoken to the carers this morning and the children are in school.’
I nodded.
‘I’ve set up supervised contact at the Family Centre for Liam and Kiri to see their grandparents tonight, then every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I’ve told Stevie this, as he asked. He also asked how long they’d be in care and I said I hoped it would be short-term. It will largely depend on the outcome of the police investigation and any prosecution that may follow.’
‘How long before the investigation is complete?’ I asked. ‘It seems we’ve been waiting for ages.’
‘It’s difficult to say. I’m in touch with CAIT [Child Abuse Investigation Team] and made them aware of the effect this is having on Stevie and the wider family. They are still gathering evidence but should know before long if there is a case to take to the Crown Prosecution Service.’
‘Have they caught Joey?’ I asked.
‘Not as far as I know, but I understand he might have popped up online with a different identity. Someone using the same patter has been busy on the websites that Stevie accessed. He has a different name and photo, but there are similarities. The police are monitoring his online activity.’
‘I hope they catch him and others like him, preying on vulnerable young people,’ I said passionately.
‘Yes. Last month one of our fourteen-year-old girls went to meet someone she’d been chatting to online, thinking he was the same age as her. Thankfully, the foster carer was clued up and became suspicious, and followed her to their meeting place. The guy waiting in his car to pick her up was middle-aged. He saw the foster carer and drove off at speed. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get the registration number, but we’re sure she had a lucky escape. If it hadn’t been for the vigilance of the foster carer, the outcome doesn’t bear thinking about.’
We fell silent for a moment as the enormity of Verity’s words hung in the air, then after a moment she said, ‘I need to be going now. Is there anything else you want to ask me?’
‘Is Stevie seeing his grandparents?’ I asked.
‘He can see them, but I’ll talk to them about the arrangements in a few days when Mrs Jones is less upset.’
‘Presumably he could go to their home now Kiri and Liam aren’t there.’
‘I don’t see why not. There is no need for supervised contact, but I’ll have a chat with them and let you know. Liam and Kiri’s carers are aware of the restrictions on contact – that the children aren’t to see Stevie at present.’ Standing, Verity picked up her briefcase. ‘Say goodbye to Stevie for me, please, and reassure him that Kiri and Liam are being well looked after. He was very concerned about them.’
‘I will.’
I saw her out, then went straight upstairs to Stevie. Paula had finished in the front room and was in her bedroom. Stevie’s door was shut, so I knocked. ‘Stevie, it’s Cathy. Can I come in?’ There was no reply, so I knocked again and then went in, expecting to find him propped on his pillows with his earbuds in. However, he was just slipping on a pair of shoes, having changed out of his school uniform and into casual clothes. ‘I’m going out,’ he said bluntly.
‘What, now? Before dinner?’ I asked.
‘I don’t want dinner.’
‘Where are you going? I’d like to know how you’re getting home. It’s a school night, so you mustn’t be late.’
‘I’ll come back when I’m ready,’ he said and, pushing past me, went downstairs and out the front door, slamming it behind him.
I knew not to try to stop him – he was angry – but I was taken aback. Verity had decided when he’d first arrived that he could go out one evening during the week as well as at the weekend, but I just wished he hadn’t left like this, angry and upset, as I knew it could lead to trouble.
Paula had heard the front door slam and came out of her room. ‘It was Stevie,’ I said. ‘He’s angry because Liam and Kiri have been taken into care.’
‘I’m sure he’ll come back later, once he’s calmed down,’ she said, trying to reassure me. ‘He’s got nowhere else to go apart from his grandparents’ house and he won’t go there.’
But of course that in itself was worrying. I wasn’t aware of any good friends where Stevie might have gone. Despite suggesting that he invited friends home or did something with them at the weekends, it hadn’t happened.
It was now 5.15. I gave Stevie a cooling-off period, during which time I continued to prepare dinner, and then at six o’clock, before I served dinner, I phoned his mobile. It went through to his voicemail, so I left a message: ‘Stevie, it’s Cathy. Can you phone or text me, please, to let me know you’re OK, and what time you will be back, so I don’t worry? Thanks, love.’
Adrian, Paula and I sat down to eat. Lucy was on a late shift at the nursery and wouldn’t be back until seven o’clock, so I plated up hers and Stevie’s dinner. I told Adrian why Stevie wasn’t with us and he was worried, given what had happened the last time Stevie had gone missing, and hoped, as Paula did, that he would be back before long once he’d calmed down.
After we’d eaten I cleared away the dishes and tried Stevie’s phone again. It went straight through to voicemail, so I left another message: ‘Hi, Stevie, Cathy again, could you let me know you’re safe, please? Thank you.’
Over the next hour I grew increasingly worried, but I was also annoyed with Stevie for causing me all this extra anxiety on top of everything else. Lucy arrived home just after seven o’clock and I sat with her at the table while she ate her dinner and told her what had happened.
‘Do you remember when I used to storm off and you would come and find me?’ she asked.
‘Yes, but I always had a good idea of where you’d be.’
‘It was so embarrassing – the scene you used to make in front of my friends in the high street.’
‘But it worked, didn’t it? You stopped storming off.’
Lucy smiled. ‘I did.’
Lucy, like some other young people I’d fostered, had bolted after a disagreement rather than staying to talk about the issue like an adult. If I felt it was the right course of action, I went after them, either on foot or in the car, and made such a fuss in public about loving them and them needing to come home now so we could talk, that they were so embarrassed they did as I asked. It wasn’t long before they stopped bolting, which made life easier for us all. Stevie had been angry when he’d pushed past me, so I’d felt he’d needed a cooling-off period, but now I wasn’t so sure. Perhaps I should have gone after him; there was no point now – too much time had elapsed; he could be anywhere. When he’d gone missing before Adrian, Lucy and Paula had looked for him and he hadn’t been in the area. I knew that before long I’d have to phone the social services and report him missing. I also knew the social services and the police would ask if I’d checked to see if he was at his grandparents’, but I was reluctant to telephone them now with everything they were going through. They didn’t need the additional stress of knowing Stevie had gone missing. Unless, of course, he was there.
At 7.30 I texted his phone: Stevie, I will have to report you missing if you don’t come home or get in touch soon.
I waited for half an hour and then telephoned the call operator at the social services and explained that I needed to speak to the emergency duty social worker to report the young person I was fostering missing. She took my details and said the emergency duty social worker would return my call as soon as possible. As I waited, I pictured being up all night again and the police searching my home. The level of disruption caused by some young people in care cannot be overstated. In cases like this, all the carer can do is give them love, support, understanding and firm boundaries and hope they turn a corner before long. Most of them do.
When the duty social worker telephoned, he recognised Stevie’s name from the last time I’d reported him missing, although I still had to give him Stevie’s details again, his background information and the circumstances leading to him going missing. I said I’d tried to contact him by phone and gave him the times I’d called and texted him during the evening. I said I hadn’t contacted his grandparents – the only place I knew of where he might possibly be – and explained why. The duty social worker told me to leave another message on Stevie’s mobile, saying I’d reported him missing to the social services and if he didn’t make contact straight away I would have to report him missing to the police as well. He also told me – as I thought he would – to phone Stevie’s grandparents. He finished by saying to call him again if I needed any more assistance and to let him know if Stevie returned.
I stayed where I was in the living room and tried Stevie’s mobile again, hoping he would pick up so I could persuade him to come home and end all of this, but it went through to voicemail. I left the message as the duty social worker had advised me to and also added that I was about to phone his grandparents, which I hoped might give him an added incentive to get in touch. I waited ten minutes and then reluctantly picked up the phone again and dialled Mr and Mrs Jones’s landline number. It crossed my mind to text Peggy’s mobile instead; it would have been less painful – Stevie is missing. Is he with you? – but that didn’t seem appropriate. It was cold and unfeeling, and possibly the police had her mobile now anyway.
I was slightly relieved that it was Fred who answered, as Verity had said he was coping better than Peggy. Even so, I was anxious speaking to him.
‘Fred, I’m sorry to disturb you, it’s Cathy.’
‘Yes, what do you want?’ he asked gruffly.
‘I wondered if Stevie was with you?’
‘No, he’s not. And neither are Liam and Kiri thanks to him!’ He hung up and the line went dead.
Damn, I thought. I’d been worried that Fred might blame Stevie for Liam and Kiri being taken into care, and it seemed he did. Gone was any sign of the support Peggy had said Fred was giving Stevie about the police investigation; instead he was holding Stevie responsible for Liam and Kiri going into care. Of course Fred was angry and needed to blame someone, I appreciated that, although Peggy – as the adult – held more responsibility for what had happened than Stevie. She was the one who should have refused his requests to see Liam and Kiri, and explain why, regardless of how much Stevie asked. It was unfair to blame him for the consequences of her decision. She was the adult and Stevie was the child.
With the information I now needed – that Stevie wasn’t with his grandparents – I telephoned the police and went through the procedure for reporting him missing. I gave the officer Stevie’s details, emphasised he was a child in care, gave a description of him and what he was wearing when he’d left the house. When the officer asked if he was depressed or suicidal, I said he was upset and had stormed off angrily. He asked if I’d tried to contact him and I said I’d phoned and texted him a number of times during the evening but without any reply. Of course he wanted to know if Stevie had gone missing before and I said he had and gave the date, and also that it had happened when he’d been living with his grandparents. The officer asked for the contact details of Stevie’s social worker and his grandparents. I gave them but said I’d just phoned Mr and Mrs Jones and Stevie wasn’t there. He said he’d send an officer to my house as soon as one became available and to have a recent photograph ready. I said the police still had the photograph I’d given them when Stevie had gone missing before, as it had never been returned. He said it should be on file but to have another one ready in case it wasn’t.
