A Long Way from Home: Part 3 of 3

‘Anna finds it difficult to make friends,’ Miss Rich replied. ‘The children are wary of her controlling manner and outbursts of rage. We are teaching her to share and how to relate to her peers. She is joining in more with group activities within the class and team games in PE.’

‘Thank you,’ the IRO said, making a note. ‘The next question asks who the child would tell if something was worrying her and Anna replied, “Mrs Taylor.”’

‘That’s her class teacher,’ Miss Rich qualified.

‘Well, that’s positive. Anna knows she has someone she can talk to,’ the IRO said.

‘Mrs Taylor is fantastic with Anna,’ Miss Rich said passionately. ‘She has two nephews who are adopted so knows some of the challenges and issues parents can face. She always makes time for Anna and was working closely with her parents. She was devastated when Anna had to go into care. Cathy has met her.’ I nodded.

The IRO made a note and looked at Anna’s review form again. I felt my pulse quicken. He had arrived at the last question and I thought of Anna’s response. ‘The final question asks if the child wants to ask anything,’ the IRO read. ‘Anna said she would like to know when she can see her mummy.’

There was silence. You could have heard a pin drop. Everyone in the room had heard what Lori had said and knew it wasn’t possible, and it was heartbreaking. I looked at the sombre expressions of those gathered around the table, all of us wanting Anna to be happy. ‘It’s so very sad,’ Miss Rich said, close to tears. ‘I knew her parents well, especially her mother, Elaine. We worked together to try to help Anna. We did everything we could, so did Mrs Taylor. We never thought it would come to this.’ I saw her bottom lip tremble.

‘It’s not your fault,’ Lori said. ‘I’ll speak to the mother again to see if I can persuade her to change her mind and see her daughter. Even if a child isn’t returning home, it’s in their best interest to have some contact with the parents.’

‘Thank you,’ the IRO said. He set the date for the next review and closed the meeting.

I left the room with Miss Rich, as Jill was staying behind to talk to Lori. ‘Is there really no hope of Anna going home?’ she asked once outside, still visibly upset.

‘I honestly don’t know,’ I said.

‘If Anna can’t go home, will she be able to stay with you?’ she asked as Mrs Taylor had done.

‘It will depend on the social services.’

She shook her head sadly. ‘She’s not a bad kid.’

‘No,’ I agreed.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Frightened of Her Daughter (#u4c9b156a-a813-50d9-92ac-3b444919ddad)

Anna wasn’t a ‘bad kid’, to use Miss Rich’s term, but she was putting my family and me under huge strain. I usually saw my parents every couple of weeks but with everything going on around Anna, time had slipped by. Also, I wasn’t sure if I should subject my parents to the stress of spending a day with Anna, unkind though that may sound. But when Mum invited us again to their house for Sunday dinner we decided they’d come to us, as I thought Anna would feel more secure being on familiar territory, and also when she did kick off the damage would be done at my home and not at my parents’. They knew Anna had challenging behaviour because of what she’d been through as a child and were very understanding and sympathetic, but the day turned out to be a disaster.