Cruel to Be Kind: Part 3 of 3: Saying no can save a child’s life

Leaving the puzzle on the table, he came with me into the living room and sat beside me on the sofa. I keyed in my parents’ telephone number and Dad answered. Even before I asked he said that Adrian and Paula were fine and keeping them busy. Mum was making them all a cooked breakfast before they went out for the day. He called Adrian to the phone first. ‘Hi, Mum,’ he said.

‘Hi, love. How are you?’

‘Great. Nana and Grandpa are taking us to a model village today. It has a real working train set.’ I could hear the excitement in his voice. I knew the place he meant; we’d been there some years before when he’d been much younger. The model village was the life’s work of a railway enthusiast. It was situated in his back garden and he had opened it to the public to raise money for charity. Adrian then asked how Max was, so I put him on and Max said a shy and polite, ‘Hello, Adrian. How are you?’

They only spoke for a few moments. Max seemed a bit awkward and self-conscious using the phone, so I guessed he hadn’t had much opportunity to use it at home. But he was satisfied and smiled as he passed the handset back to me. My father then put Paula on to speak and she said, almost in a whisper, ‘I miss you lots, Mummy,’ which choked me up.

‘I miss you too, love,’ I said. ‘But you’re having a nice time at Nana and Grandpa’s, aren’t you?’

‘Yes, but I still miss you. I told Nana I missed you last night when it was bedtime so she read me lots of stories and cuddled me until I went to sleep.’

‘Good. So that was fine then, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes. Nana is cooking eggs and sausage. Can you smell it?’

I smiled. ‘No, love, not down the phone. But I’m sure it smells and tastes delicious.’

‘Can I speak to Max like Adrian did?’ she asked, not wanting to be left out.

‘Yes, of course. He’d like that.’

I passed the phone to Max again and in his best telephone voice he said, ‘Hello, Paula, how are you?’

She must have said well for then he said, ‘I am well too.’ And handed the phone back to me. ‘She’s gone to have breakfast,’ he said.

Dad came to the phone and I thanked him for all he and my mother were doing, said I hoped the children weren’t wearing them out and wished them a pleasant day.

Before Max and I left for the museum I locked the back door, put Toscha out for a run and remembered the bag of fruit for Max to take to contact, as there wouldn’t be time to return home after we’d been to the museum.

The museum is on the other side of town. It’s only small and is staffed mainly by part-time elderly volunteers who are happy to explain all about the artefacts on display, many of which were discovered locally. Max loved it, as I thought he would. He liked facts and history and this was history coming alive. Children can complete a questionnaire if they wish, the answers to which are somewhere in the museum; for example, What was a corn flail used for? The answer was on a card beside the exhibit: The corn flail was used to separate the grain from the husk, circa 1850. The children were awarded a sticker at the end for completing the questionnaire.

At one o’clock we left the museum and went next door to the café for lunch, and from there I drove straight to Max’s home for contact. It was with some nervousness and trepidation that I approached their house and then rang the doorbell. Had Jo had time to speak to Caz about the concerns I’d reported, and if so, how had she taken it? I was expecting the worst and when Kelly answered the door and said, ‘Mum wants to talk to you,’ I assumed my fears were about to be realized.

With mounting anxiety, I followed Kelly down the dark hall (the light bulb hadn’t been replaced) and into the living room. To my surprise, Caz was sitting in her armchair with her feet up, watching the television. ‘Hello, Caz,’ I said tentatively.

‘Hi,’ she called. ‘I love this programme.’ Without taking her eyes from the screen, she waved for me to go over. I crossed to her chair. Meanwhile, Max had put the fruit on the work surface in the kitchen and Kelly was eating it.

‘Can you do me a favour?’ Caz asked, her gaze momentarily shifting from the screen as she passed me a slip of paper. ‘That’s the name and address of Max’s dentist. He has an appointment next week. Can you take him? I won’t be able to.’

‘Yes, of course,’ I said, relieved. ‘Anything else?’

‘He could do with a haircut.’

‘Yes, I agree. I was going to ask you about that. I’ll take him to our barbers.’ Carers should generally ask the parent first if they can take the child to have their hair cut, as it can be a contentious issue. A child suddenly arriving at contact with a haircut, new hairstyle, or wearing new clothes or shoes are stark reminders to the parent that they are no longer looking after their child.

‘Is there anything else?’ I asked.

‘No.’ Her gaze had returned to the television and she laughed heartily. ‘I love this programme,’ she said again. I felt dreadful, for clearly she hadn’t been told of the concerns, and I knew her happiness would be very short-lived.

Chapter Nineteen

When Will I See Mummy Again? (#u42fb88e4-c748-5719-a4ed-e9bdbe1aaea2)

I decided to return home while Max was seeing his family, as there didn’t seem much point in going to a local park without Adrian and Paula. A tight knot had formed in my stomach as I thought of Caz laughing at one of her favourite television programmes, blissfully unaware of the ball I had started rolling, which would reach her very soon. While she didn’t know yet, it wouldn’t be long. If Jill hadn’t managed to speak to Jo about the concerns I’d raised then she would have spoken to her line manager. Child protection issues – which Dan’s abuse of Paris was – can’t be left until the next day. Paris and Summer hadn’t been at home, but I thought nothing of this. It was their school holiday, so they would be out making the most of it.

I let myself into my house, which was resoundingly silent without any children. Straight away I saw the light on the answerphone on the hall table flashing, signalling a message. Pushing the door to, I pressed play. The message was from Jill: ‘Cathy, can you give me a ring, please, as soon as you get in? I’m at the office.’ Timed fifteen minutes before.

It was urgent. Although Jill hadn’t said much, I knew from the terseness of the message and the tightness in her voice that something had happened. Remaining by the hall table, I picked up the handset and pressed the agency’s office number. Jill answered with, ‘Homefinders fostering services.’

‘Jill, it’s Cathy. I’ve just got in.’

‘Is Max at contact?’ she asked.

‘Yes. I’ve just dropped him off.’

‘What time do you collect him?’

‘Three-thirty.’

‘Can you collect him earlier this afternoon? I’ve just finished speaking to Jo. She is on her way there now and she thinks it’s better if he is with you.’

‘Yes, of course. What time?’

‘As soon as we’ve finished. There has been a development. Paris has put herself into foster care.’

‘Really? When?’

‘Late this morning. She and Summer went to the social services’ offices and asked to speak to Jo. Paris told Jo that her father has been sexually abusing her and she didn’t feel safe at home any more. She asked if she could live with you, but I had to tell Jo you didn’t have the room, so we’ve found another carer. She’s going with Jo now to collect some clothes from home.’

‘So just Paris is going into care, not Summer as well?’ I clarified.

‘That’s right. Summer is returning home, for now at least, but obviously there will be concerns about how safe the other children are. Summer and Paris share a bedroom and Summer substantiated what Paris said.’

‘So it’s a coincidence that this has happened today? It’s not a result of what I reported?’

‘Correct. About an hour after I’d spoken to Jo in respect of the concerns you’d raised, Paris and Summer arrived at the office. Caz hadn’t been told then. Apparently Kelly knew they were going and tried to stop them, but Paris said she’d had enough. It seems the incident Caz told you about wasn’t the only time Dan abused Paris. He’s been going into their bedroom a lot and trying to get into bed with Paris, usually when he’s been drunk. Paris said that although her boyfriend put a lock on the bedroom door, she didn’t feel safe at home any longer.’

‘No, indeed. Thank goodness she had the courage to report it.’

‘Yes, although she might have opened up when Jo interviewed her after what Caz told you. Paris and Summer are saying their mother didn’t know what was going on, and they didn’t tell her because they didn’t want to upset her when she was ill. But the girls are covering up for her, because we know from what Caz told you she was aware of at least one incident of abuse and that Dan had been talking to Paris inappropriately – referring to her breasts – for some time.’

‘So despite all Caz went through as a child, when her mother failed to protect her, she’s done the same,’ I said sadly.

‘Worrying, isn’t it? Max will obviously remain with you for now. If his parents do try to remove him – he’s in voluntary care – the social services will apply to the court for a care order. The police will take a statement from Paris, very likely tomorrow, and then, if there are grounds, Dan will be arrested.’

‘All right,’ I said with a heavy sigh. ‘I’ll collect Max now and try to explain to him what is happening.’

‘Yes, please. You know where we are if you need us.’