Finding Stevie: Part 3 of 3: A teenager in crisis. Cathy Glass

they’re just kids. Why punish them?’

      ‘Going into foster care isn’t a punishment,’ I said. Although I knew it could feel like that to the child. ‘The social services will have decided that there are what’s called safeguarding issues. Your grandparents were in a position of trust and responsibility, and unfortunately they made a decision that could have jeopardised the children’s safety.’ I was trying to say this nicely while telling Stevie the truth.

      ‘It’s not fair,’ he said angrily. ‘It’s not right.’ Then he suddenly looked at me with hope in his eyes. ‘Can you foster them? They can have my room and I’ll sleep on the sofa. I don’t mind.’

      ‘Stevie, love, the reason why Kiri and Liam are going into care is because you’re not allowed to see them for the time being. There is no way the social services would consider placing them here so you are all under one roof.’

      ‘OK, so they can come here and I’ll go somewhere else.’ I suppose he thought it was better they went somewhere he knew.

      ‘What purpose would that serve?’ I asked him gently. ‘You need somewhere to live and you’re settled here. I know the carers Liam and Kiri are going to and they are really nice. They’re a little older than me and from what I remember their own children are adults and have left home, so they will have lots of time to look after Liam and Kiri and play with them. I promise you, love, they will be well cared for.’

      ‘They’ll be so upset,’ he said, all hope going and his face creasing. ‘They’ve never been away from Gran and Grandpa before.’

      ‘I expect they will be upset to begin with, but they will settle, just as you did. The carers will keep them occupied and make sure they’re all right.’

      ‘Can I phone my gran?’ he asked.

      ‘Not just yet. They’ll be a lot going on and your grandfather told you when you spoke to him yesterday that they’ll phone us when they are able.’

      Leaning forward, he dropped his head into his hands. I couldn’t tell if he was crying – I couldn’t see his face – but I thought he was pretty close to it. I touched his shoulder and this time he didn’t pull away.

      ‘I know it’s difficult, love, but at some point all this will be over and you’ll all be able to get on with your lives.’

      ‘Then can we all go home to Gran’s to live?’ he asked, his head still in his hands.

      ‘I don’t know.’ Clearly this depended on a number of factors, including the outcome of the police investigation, but I’d noticed he’d said “can we all go home to Gran’s to live” – including himself. Sometimes a crisis can reunite a family, although I couldn’t see how that was going to happen here – at least, not in the near future.

      ‘I’m going to my room,’ he said suddenly, standing. ‘Will you tell me when you hear anything?’

      ‘Yes, of course.’

      I watched him go, blaming himself and his spirit broken, as though he hadn’t a hope in the world. I checked on him regularly, every twenty minutes or so. I knocked on his bedroom door and asked, ‘Are you OK, Stevie?’ A couple of times he didn’t reply so I opened the door to check. Each time he had his earbuds in, so I nodded to him and closed the door again. He came down for dinner, still in his school uniform, and was obviously very low.

      ‘What’s the matter with you?’ Lucy asked as soon as she saw him. I hadn’t had a chance to tell them. When they’d come in they’d gone to their rooms to unwind before dinner, and I was still deciding if they needed to know at all and whether I could avoid sharing yet another of Stevie’s burdens.

      ‘Kiri and Liam have to go into foster care,’ Stevie replied.

      ‘Why?’ Lucy asked, shocked. Adrian and Paula were looking at Stevie, as concerned as Lucy was.

      ‘Because I saw them when I wasn’t supposed to,’ Stevie said bluntly, not meeting their gaze.

      They looked at me for confirmation and I nodded.

      ‘For how long?’ Paula asked.

      ‘I don’t know,’ Stevie said miserably.

      Little more was said after that and Stevie ate his meal in silence, then left the table to go to his room.

      ‘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.’