Nobody’s Son: All Alex ever wanted was a family of his own. Cathy Glass

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СКАЧАТЬ you,’ I said, ignoring the slight. Caring primary-school staff are often very protective of their pupils, with everyone – including the office staff, teachers and the caretakers – knowing the children and looking out for them, but it wasn’t my fault Alex had had so many moves.

      We arrived in Adrian’s school playground with two minutes to spare. Paula and I said goodbye to Adrian, and I waited until he’d lined up with his class ready to go in before I took Paula to nursery, which was on the same site. She attended nursery three mornings a week and was always a little clingy on Monday, after the weekend, but one of the nursery assistants came over and took her to the sandpit where a friend of hers was playing, so I was able to kiss her goodbye and leave.

      When I arrived home the green light on the answerphone was blinking with a message. It was from Jill. ‘Good morning, Cathy, I guess you’re on the school run. When you have a moment can you give me a ring, please, to confirm Alex’s move yesterday went well. Thank you.’

      I took off my coat and shoes and returned the call straight away. Jill was always very efficient and I tried to be too. I told her that Graham had brought Alex as arranged and that Alex appeared fine and was settling in, and was in school now.

      ‘Excellent,’ she said. ‘Well done.’ Jill often praised her carers and it was appreciated by us. She was responsible for twelve foster carers and made sure she kept up to date and knew as much about the children we fostered as we did.

      ‘Has there been any mention of a LAC review?’ she asked. LAC stands for ‘looked-after children’.

      I’d read the minutes of his previous reviews. ‘No. Just the planning meeting on Wednesday,’ I said.

      ‘I’ve got that in the diary. I’ll be there. Usually a child has a review after a change in carers, but I’ll check with Debbie. As Alex is only with you for a month she may not feel it’s worth it. I’ll let you know. I’ll see you on Wednesday, but obviously phone if you need to.’

      ‘Thanks, Jill. I will.’

      We said goodbye. It was reassuring to know that the fostering agency offered twenty-four-hour support, seven days a week, although I didn’t think I’d be needing any help with Alex. He was a dear little boy and was only with me for a very short while.

      An hour later Debbie, Alex’s social worker, telephoned for an update and I told her more or less what I’d told Jill, including that Alex was in school and the school now had my contact details.

      ‘Thanks, Cathy. The school have been very good with Alex. Has he got all his belongings with him?’

      ‘Yes. I think so.’

      ‘Is there anything he needs?’

      ‘No. Well, apart from his new parents. He’s so looking forward to meeting them.’

      ‘I know. Bring your diary with you on Wednesday. We’ll be planning the introductions and the move. It’s a good match. His adoptive parents already have the experience of bringing up their son, so Alex will have a sibling.’

      ‘Great. How old is he?’

      ‘Nine. Two years older than Alex. He can’t wait to have a brother.’

      ‘Fantastic. I do so like happy endings.’

      ‘So do I, Cathy, so do I.’

      The morning flew by and it wasn’t long before I was collecting Paula from nursery. While I was there I took the opportunity to ask Kay, a good friend of mine who had children of a similar age to Adrian and Paula, if she could collect Paula from nursery on Wednesday, as I had to go to a meeting at the social services. She knew I fostered and said straight away that she could. ‘I’ll give the girls lunch and I can also collect Adrian if you’re not back in time,’ she offered.

      ‘Thanks, Kay, that’s kind of you, although the meeting should finish long before the end of school.’ But it was reassuring to have that safety net. Kay knew a little of what was involved in fostering and we’d helped each other out in the past. She’d been very supportive when my husband had left me and I greatly valued her friendship, as I hoped she did mine. As a foster carer it’s essential to have a good support network of friends and relatives who can be relied upon to help out if necessary, just as it is in everyday life. We left the nursery together and then went our separate ways. Paula was delighted she was going to play with her friend on Wednesday. I would need to inform the nursery of the arrangement, in line with their ‘keeping children safe’ policy.

      I find the days fly by, especially during term time with the nursery and school runs. I’d also started working part time, mainly from home – administration work for a small local firm – and I did the work in the evenings or when Paula was at nursery.

      After lunch I played with Paula and then read her some stories. Before long it was time to put on our coats and shoes to collect Alex from school. That morning, when I’d taken him, I’d arranged to meet him at a specific place in the playground – over to the right – so he could easily find me. It’s difficult enough for a child to be met from school by a foster carer – the other kids know they’re in care – so it helps them if they can go straight to the carer and not have to search a sea of faces for a half-familiar outline.

      Alex spotted me and Paula straight away as soon as his class came out, and his teacher came with him to introduce herself and confirm who I was. Foster carers have identity cards they can show if necessary. She said that Alex had had a good day and had some spelling and reading homework in his bag, and then, wishing us a pleasant evening, went to talk to another parent.

      Alex seemed happy and relaxed, and in the car on the way home he talked sweetly to Paula, asking her what she’d been doing while he’d been in school. Not all children know how to talk to little ones, but I guessed he’d had to fit in with so many different families (with different-aged children) that he knew how to interact with younger as well as older children. It was nice to see, and Paula appreciated it.

      We arrived in Adrian’s playground just as the klaxon was sounding and I stood in my usual spot with the other mothers. Adrian came out and ran over to us and I asked him as I normally did if he’d had a good day. He said he had, but that he had maths homework to do. I suggested to the boys that they did their homework as soon as we were home so that it was out of the way. This was what Adrian usually did and Alex said he’d done the same at his previous foster carers’. I guess most families have a similar routine.

      Once home I made the children a drink and then Adrian and Alex fetched their school bags and settled at the table to do their homework. Seeing the boys working, Paula wanted to do some homework too, so I gave her a sheet of paper, wrote her name at the top in big letters and asked her to copy them beneath and then draw a picture. I’d begun teaching her the letters in her name and it was good practice holding a pencil. Once she’d finished she left the table and watched some pre-school television until the boys had finished.

      After dinner all three children played nicely together in the living room, sharing their toys, until it was time for Paula’s bath and bedtime. I left the boys playing while I took her upstairs and once she was settled I brought Alex up and then Adrian. I usually put the children to bed in age-ascending order – it seemed fair that way and worked well – so the youngest went first and the eldest last, although Alex was only six months younger than Adrian. Alex chose his soft toy giraffe to take into bed with him, and as I said goodnight he asked me, ‘Do you know when I’ll see my new mummy and daddy?’

      ‘I’ll СКАЧАТЬ