Innocent

by Cathy Glass

  ‘What sort of activities?’ the IRO asked, glancing up from typing.

  ‘Painting, crayoning, Play-Doh, playing with puzzles, building bricks, the farmyard set. We have a local park and I take them there on the days when they don’t have contact.’

  ‘Do the children play together nicely?’ the IRO asked. She would have been given information on the case prior to the review, so would very likely know that Aneta was claiming Molly hurt Kit.

  ‘Generally, yes,’ I said. ‘Although recently we’ve had a few instances of Molly being unkind to Kit by taking his toys, pushing him and trying to scare him. I think it could be a bit of sibling jealousy and obviously I’m dealing with it.’ I saw Aneta smile to herself as though she had been proved right.

  The IRO nodded for me to continue.

  ‘The children were sleeping together, but now Molly has her own room, and Kit’s cot is in my room. He had his plaster cast removed and replaced by a splint on –’ I gave the date. ‘His arm is healing well and we have another follow-up appointment next month. I am keeping a food diary, as Tess asked, and noting everything the children have to eat and drink. So far nothing obvious has come to light that could be responsible for the children’s allergic reactions. I think they should be tested further to establish what is causing the problem.’

  ‘It doesn’t have to be food, it could be something in the air,’ Aneta said. ‘Like pollen, germs or car fumes. That’s why I’m so careful and don’t take them out.’ She’d said similar before.

  ‘I’ll say more about the children’s health when I give my report,’ Tess said. ‘I’ve seen their medical records now.’

  The IRO nodded, typed and then asked me to continue.

  ‘I took the children for their medicals and the paediatrician said they were in good health, apart from the allergic reactions of course. They are of average weight and height and their hearing and eyesight are fine. Aneta has given me a bag of their medicines to be used as and when necessary. But so far I haven’t had to use any.’

  ‘Why is that?’ the IRO asked.

  ‘They haven’t needed it. They are sick once and get over it. It’s short and violent. I give them water and reassure them. The sickness isn’t prolonged. If it was, or if one of them fitted or had difficulty breathing, as I understand has happened when they were at home, I’d seek medical help straight away. I do think we need to try to find the cause of their sickness,’ I said again. ‘It’s very worrying and upsetting for the children.’

  ‘I agree,’ the IRO said. Then looked at Tess. ‘I assume you’ll be covering this when you give your report?’

  ‘Yes,’ Tess said.

  I glanced at my notes and continued. ‘I know Aneta has concerns about the children going out in case they are ill, but I think they would benefit from mixing with other children their age. I could find a playgroup where I could stay so I could keep an eye on them.’ Aneta was already shaking her head.

  ‘Over my dead body,’ she said.

  ‘We’ll come back to this in a moment,’ the IRO said. ‘How is contact going?’

  ‘Well,’ I said. ‘The children see their parents on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Family Centre. I take and collect them. The children look forward to seeing their parents and have a nice time.’

  ‘How are they after contact?’ the IRO asked.

  ‘It takes them a little while to settle, but that is only to be expected. They have been sick after contact, and to begin with I thought it might be emotional upset, but I’m not so sure now.’

  ‘Why should seeing me make my children sick?’ Aneta demanded.

  ‘It’s a very emotional time and children can react in different ways,’ I said gently. ‘Some children cry, some are naughty, while others show it in a physical way, for example, by wetting themselves. That’s not to say they aren’t pleased to see their parents, just that it can be difficult for them.’

  ‘Are you receiving details of the food and drink consumed at contact from the supervisor?’ Tess asked me.

  ‘Yes. It usually arrives a day or so after and I enter it in the food diary.’

  ‘I always show the contact supervisor what I’m giving Molly and Kit,’ Aneta said more reasonably.

  ‘Thank you,’ Tess said.

  The IRO finished typing and then asked, ‘Has either child suffered any accident or injury while they’ve been in your care?’ It’s a standard question.

  ‘Nothing serious,’ I said. ‘Just the occasional fall when they are running and playing. I’ve noted it all in my log.’

  ‘They bruise easily,’ Aneta said, which she’d claimed before.

  ‘Thank you,’ the IRO said. ‘Is there anything else you want to tell this review, Cathy?’

  I glanced at my notes. ‘Only that I’ve started a Life Story Book for each child.’

  ‘What’s that?’ Filip asked quietly.

  Tess explained: ‘We ask foster carers to keep a record of the children’s time with the carer, which they take with them when they leave. It usually includes photographs and memorabilia with a short written narrative about what the children have been doing. It’s to give the child something to look back on in the future and supplements their own memories. It’s especially important for very young children who may not remember their time in care.’

  Filip nodded. He seemed very subdued, while Aneta was more composed than I’d imagined she would be – not upset but angry. She had some handwritten notes in front of her.

  ‘Thank you, Cathy,’ the IRO said. ‘We’ll hear from Tess next, then the Guardian ad Litem, Aneta and Filip, and Cathy’s supervising social worker.’

  Edith sat beside me taking notes, as was the Guardian. All those present would have a copy of the minutes once they were circulated.

  Tess began by stating when the children had come into care and gave the type of care order. There was no need for her to go into the background and the reasons for the children being brought into care, as everyone present would know what they needed to, and that wasn’t the purpose of the review. ‘My main concern at this point’, Tess continued, ‘is to try to establish why Molly and Kit are sick so often. Cathy keeps me regularly updated. I’ve now had a chance to look at the children’s medical records. They’ve had many tests for a range of allergies and they’ve all come back negative. Some of those tests would have been very uncomfortable for the children – one involved a twenty-four-hour blood test with an overnight stay in hospital. It must have been distressing for the children to have been subjected to all these tests and I am reluctant to ask for more at present. Cathy is monitoring what the children eat and drink, so I’d like to see if the food diary reveals anything before further testing. Perhaps we can look at the situation again in a month’s time.’

  ‘Suits me,’ Aneta said. ‘But the food diary won’t show anything.’ She fiddled with the sheet of paper she had in front of her. Filip glanced at her but didn’t say anything.

  ‘So to be clear,’ the IRO said, ‘none of the tests on either of the children gave any indication as to what could be causing them to be ill?’

  ‘That’s right,’ Tess said. ‘Other than eliminating possible causes. They all came back clear, including tests for a number of genetic conditions. There are more tests that can be done, but I’d like to wait on that for now.’

  The IRO nodded and typed. Once she’d finished, Tess continued.

  ‘I think Molly and Kit would benefit from more contact with other children their age. It’s usual for children of Kit’s age to be attending a mother and toddler group, and at three and a half most children Molly’s age are attending some form of playgroup or nursery. She will start school in a year and will be ill-prepared if she hasn’t attended any pre-school group.’ I saw Aneta’s fingers tighten around the paper she was holding. ‘However,’ Tess continued, ‘I know Aneta is anxious about the children being
exposed to germs, so I would like to review this again in a month too, by which time I hope the food diary will have yielded some results. If we can establish what exactly is causing the children to be sick, Aneta needn’t worry about them going outside or coming into contact with other children.’ I thought Tess was relying rather heavily on the food diary. Was it really going to reveal what hospital tests had not? I doubted it.

  ‘I’m reporting all this to my solicitor,’ Aneta suddenly said icily, calm and controlled. ‘We are seeing him next week. We’re going back to court and my children will be returned to me. Then we’ll sue the lot of you.’ Parents of children in care are advised to seek legal advice. If they can’t afford to fund it, they can apply for legal aid.

  ‘Which part of what Tess has said has upset you?’ the IRO asked in a conciliatory manner.

  ‘All of it!’ Aneta snapped. ‘You have taken my children, and now you’re going to make them more ill by sending them to nursery.’

  ‘That isn’t what Tess said,’ the IRO pointed out. ‘She said that she felt the children would benefit from mixing with their peers, as most children do. But she recognizes you have concerns and is suggesting we look at the situation again in a month, by which time hopefully we will have a better understanding of what is making the children sick.’

  I expected Aneta to retaliate but she didn’t. She sat back in her chair, folded her arms across her chest and glared at Tess as if challenging her. It was quite threatening and unsettling and not something I’d seen in her before. Filip had his eyes down, concentrating on the table, and kept quiet.

  Tess ignored Aneta’s condemnatory stare and continued by saying that contact was positive for the children and would continue on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, three till five o’clock, as it allowed Filip to work the early shift.

  ‘That suits you?’ the IRO asked him.

  ‘Yes,’ he said, glancing up.

  The IRO asked Tess if there were any changes to the care plan – a standard question – and she replied that there weren’t. So that meant the children would be staying in foster care long term, although I knew care plans could change. Tess confirmed that the children had settled in with me and that she had visited them in placement. Aneta was still staring at Tess intimidatingly. It was cold and threatening, but Tess seemed unfazed. I guessed that as a social worker she’d probably seen worse from angry parents.

  Tamara, the Guardian, went next. She stated her role, said she had visited all parties and at this stage she was still gathering information.

  The IRO thanked her for coming and looked at the parents. ‘Would you like to speak next?’

  Now that she’d been given the chance, I expected Aneta to vent her anger, but instead she lowered her arms and dissolved into tears. ‘You keep blaming me,’ she sobbed. ‘My children were ill and I took them to the doctor’s and the hospital and now I’m being punished. I don’t deserve this. My life’s not worth living any more.’

  Filip went to put his arm around her to comfort her, but she threw it off, then suddenly pushed back her chair, stood and fled from the room.

  ‘Sorry,’ Filip said and went after her. The door closed behind him.

  ‘Oh dear. She is upset,’ the IRO said. We sat in uncomfortable silence, waiting for their return for about five minutes as the IRO typed – I assumed catching up with her note-taking. Then she said to Tess, ‘Can you check they’re OK?’

  Tess left the room and the rest of us remained quiet. She returned a few minutes later and said Aneta and Filip were nowhere to be seen. She assumed they’d left the building.

  ‘It’s a pity they didn’t feel they could stay,’ the IRO said with a sigh. ‘I’ll minute that the parents left the review at two-fifty.’

  ‘I’ll phone them when we’ve finished here,’ Tess said.

  ‘Thank you,’ the IRO said, and then looked at Edith. ‘Would you like to add anything to the review? Then we’ll wind up, as the parents aren’t here to give their views.’

  Edith said, ‘My role is to supervise and monitor Cathy in all aspects of fostering. I visit her regularly and check her record-keeping is up to date and advise her on further training. I have observed Cathy with the children and am satisfied she is able to meet their needs.’ Concise and to the point, it was pretty much what she said at all my reviews.

  The IRO thanked her, then asked if anyone had anything else to say. No one did, so she asked if there were any complaints, which was another standard question. I thought if Aneta had stayed she would have something to say – her notes were still on the table. The IRO entered ‘no complaints’, then confirmed she’d received the children’s and my review forms. She set the date for the next review in three months’ time and, thanking us all for coming, closed the meeting.

  I picked up the holdall containing the children’s toys and left the room first. I made my way downstairs, deep in thought. Aneta had gone from being angry to distraught, which I supposed was understandable. Yet I didn’t feel sorry for her as I had done when she’d been upset before. Perhaps I was being unkind, but her reaction seemed excessive and staged to me. Filip was the one I now felt sorry for. He seemed a decent, hard-working guy who was completely out of his depth and struggling to cope. His little gesture when he’d tried to comfort Aneta and she’d pushed him away had touched me. I was pretty sure, that whatever had happened at home to the children, he almost certainly wasn’t responsible for and probably hadn’t even been aware of it.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Hospital

  I drove home still deep in thought, now about all the tests Molly and Kit had been subjected to. It must have been very traumatic for them. I think parents and carers often suffer more than the child when they are poorly. I know I do. It’s awful to watch a little one ill or in pain. You’d do anything to make them better. It must have been agonizing for Aneta and Filip to have to stand by and watch Molly and Kit undergo all those tests, some of which Tess had said had been very uncomfortable, and involved blood tests and a stay in hospital. While I’d initially asked for more tests to try to identify the cause of their allergies, I now felt Tess had made the right decision in not requesting them yet. She had seen their medical records, I hadn’t, and I didn’t want them to suffer another battery of tests if it wasn’t completely necessary.

  When I arrived home, I was greeted by Keelie’s voice trilling from our kitchen-diner. ‘Hi, Cathy! Welcome home. We’re in here! Come and see what we’ve done!’

  I steeled myself for what awaited me. ‘Be with you in a moment,’ I replied. ‘Just taking off my coat and shoes. Can’t wait to see!’

  ‘I think you can,’ Maggie called out dryly. I smiled to myself. Keelie was certainly a character, but there was no hidden side to her. What you saw was what you got.

  Leaving the holdall containing the children’s toys in the hall, I went into our kitchen-diner. They were all seated around the table modelling with Play-Doh. Keelie was in between Molly and Kit, and Maggie sat opposite.

  ‘Wonderful,’ I said. ‘You have been busy!’ The table was covered with different-sized lumps of dough, and cutters, rollers, piping equipment and so forth for producing shapes. I kept all the modelling kit in a large box in the toy cupboard together with a plastic tablecloth, and someone had had the good sense to put the cloth on the table. The children were clearly enjoying themselves. Even little Kit was making something.

  ‘This is a dog Kit made,’ Keelie said, picking up a lump of blue dough to show me.

  ‘Very good,’ I said, kissing his forehead. He chuckled.

  ‘And this is a horse Molly made.’ Keelie pointed to a larger lump of purple-and-yellow streaked dough.

  ‘Excellent,’ I said admiringly, and kissed Molly.

  ‘And this is supposed to be me,’ Maggie said, picking up a round lump of bright-green dough that could have been in the shape of a head. ‘Keelie made it.’ Fl
ecked with orange it had holes for eyes, massive nose and ears, and hair that stuck out like gorgon snakes. I laughed out loud. ‘She loves me really,’ Maggie said.

  ‘So everything was all right while I was out?’ I asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Keelie said before Maggie could answer. ‘Although I had to tell Molly off for being unkind to Kit.’ I glanced at Maggie, who winked, signalling it wasn’t anything too awful.

  ‘What did I tell you?’ Keelie now asked Molly.

  ‘That I have to be kind to my little brother,’ Molly said dutifully.

  ‘That’s right. And if you’re not kind to him a dragon will eat you, won’t it?’

  Molly nodded. It wasn’t a subtle approach to managing sibling rivalry and not one recommended in the foster carer’s handbook, but it appeared to be working. Molly was now sharing everything she had with Kit, passing him lumps of dough and the shape cutters. ‘Good girl,’ I said.

  ‘Time to pack away,’ Maggie said. ‘We need to be going.’

  Keelie groaned.

  ‘Don’t worry about packing away,’ I said. ‘Molly and Kit can play with the dough for a bit longer. I’ll put it away later.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ Maggie asked, aware of the amount of clearing up that needed to be done.

  ‘Yes. Thank you so much for all your help.’

  ‘Have you got us a box of chocolates?’ Keelie asked.

  ‘That’s not very subtle,’ Maggie chastised.

  I went into the kitchen and took the box of chocolates I’d bought for them from the cupboard. ‘I told you not to,’ Maggie said as I placed them in her hand.

  Keelie hugged both children goodbye and relieved Maggie of the chocolates. I saw them out. I returned to Molly and Kit and sat at the table with them to play, but now Keelie had gone the Play-Doh wasn’t so much fun and presently they’d had enough. I helped Kit from the table and then fetched the holdall containing their toys from the hall. They were delighted to be reunited with them and played while I packed away the dough equipment and then began preparing dinner. It was only after playing for a while that Molly asked, ‘Have you been to my house?’