They both had their hands in their laps, and were quiet and still.
‘Danny, I’ll take you to your class now,’ Sue said gently.
Danny obediently stood.
‘Say goodbye to your mother,’ Sue said.
‘Goodbye,’ Danny said in a small, flat voice and without looking at her.
‘Goodbye, love,’ she called after him. ‘I’ll see you later.’
Danny didn’t reply or show any emotion but walked quietly away with his teacher.
‘Will you show Reva and Cathy to the staff room?’ Sue said to Terri. ‘I’ll join you there once I’ve taken Danny to his class.’
‘Bye, love,’ Danny’s mother called again as he left, but Danny didn’t reply.
‘How are you?’ Terri now asked Reva as she stood, looping her handbag over her shoulder.
She shrugged and dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
‘You’ve met Cathy,’ Terri said to her.
She nodded, tears glistening in her eyes.
‘Hello, Reva,’ I said with a smile.
I could see the family resemblance between her and Danny – the same mouth and eyes.
‘I did my best for him,’ she said as we left the medical room. ‘Really I did, but I’ve failed.’ Her tears fell.
‘You haven’t failed,’ I said. ‘Danny is a lovely boy, but I can appreciate just how much it takes to look after him.’
‘You don’t blame me then?’ she said, slightly surprised.
‘No, of course not.’
‘No one blames you,’ Terri added. ‘I’ve told you that.’
‘My husband does,’ Reva said.
‘For what?’ Terri asked.
‘Having an autistic son.’
Reva and I went with Terri to the staff room where we settled around the small table that sat at one end of the room and waited for Sue. The staff room was compact, with pigeonhole shelving overflowing with books and papers, and pin boards on the walls covered with notices, leaflets and flyers. On a cabinet stood a kettle beside a tray containing mugs and a jar of coffee. But like the rest of the school the staff room emanated a cosy, warm feeling, easily making up for what it lacked in size. Reva, sitting opposite me, had dried her eyes now, but I could see she wasn’t far from tears. Terri, to her right, had taken out a notepad and was writing. I felt I needed to say something positive to Reva to try to reassure her.
‘Danny did very well last night,’ I said. ‘Our house was obviously all new to him, but he coped well. He ate dinner with us and then played with some Lego.’
‘Terri said it took ages to find him on the playing field,’ Reva said despondently. ‘Danny’s good at running off and hiding. You’ll need to be careful.’
‘I’ll remember that,’ I said. Although I’d rather guessed that might be the case.
‘You’ll have to lock all your doors and windows or he’ll run off outside and you’ll never find him,’ Reva said.
‘Don’t worry,’ I reassured her. ‘My house is secure. He’ll be safe.’ Foster carers are not allowed to lock children in the house even for their own safety, but I knew that Danny couldn’t reach to open the front and back doors, and I would be keeping a close eye on him. ‘I like his method of dressing,’ I said to Reva, again focusing on the positive. ‘Did you and your husband teach him to do that?’
‘I did,’ Reva said softly.
Terri looked at us questioningly and I explained how Danny had laid out his clothes in the order he should put them on.
‘Very good,’ Terri said. ‘Does that work for him at school too – after games?’ she asked.
‘I think his classroom assistant helps him,’ Reva said.
The door opened and Sue came in carrying a file. ‘Sorry to keep you,’ she said. ‘Danny is with his class now.’ She smiled at Reva as she sat next to me.
‘Are we expecting anyone else?’ Terri asked.
‘My support social worker can’t make it,’ I said. ‘I’m seeing her later so I’ll update her then.’
‘Is Danny’s father joining us?’ Terri now asked Reva.
‘No,’ she said, but she didn’t add why.
‘Let’s get started then,’ Terri said. ‘I thought this meeting would give us a chance to discuss how we can best help Danny. The three of us and his father are the key people in Danny’s life right now. I’ll make a few notes as we go, but I want to keep this meeting informal. I’m in the process of drawing up a care plan, and as a child in care Danny will have regular reviews.’ She glanced at Reva. ‘We’ll talk about contact arrangements later. Cathy, as Reva didn’t have a chance to meet you before Danny came to you, perhaps you’d like to start by telling her a little about your family and home life?’
‘Yes, certainly,’ I said. I sat slightly forward and looked at Reva as I spoke. ‘I have three children – a boy, fifteen, and two girls, thirteen and eleven, and a cat, Toscha. She doesn’t bite or scratch. I’m divorced and have been fostering for over fifteen years now. I live in …’ I briefly described my house and then my family’s routine, and the types of things we liked to do at the weekends. ‘Danny will, of course, be included in all family activities and outings,’ I said. ‘Whether it’s a visit to a local park or to see my parents. Danny’s bedroom is at the rear of the house and overlooks the garden, so it is quiet and has a nice view. He’ll be able to play in the garden when the weather is good. Last night before Danny went to bed I showed him where my bedroom was in case he needed me in the night, but he slept through. It was a good idea packing his toy rabbit, George,’ I concluded positively, smiling at Reva. ‘That helped him to settle.’
‘Did he ask for the real George?’ Reva asked.
‘Yes. I had to show him he wasn’t outside.’
Terri looked at us, puzzled.
‘George is Danny’s pet rabbit,’ Reva said to Terri. ‘They’re inseparable. I did tell Danny he couldn’t take him to Cathy’s. I think that was one of the reasons he kicked me and ran off and hid yesterday.’
I looked at Terri. ‘I know it’s not usual fostering practice,’ I said, ‘but I was thinking that if Reva and her husband agreed then perhaps George could come and stay with us too? He means so much to Danny. It could help him settle.’
‘Oh, would you?’ Reva cried. ‘I’d be so grateful. Danny loves his rabbit more than anything – probably more than he loves me.’
‘Are you sure that’s all right?’ Terri asked me.
‘Yes.
