Foster Care Blog
Another footballing weekend with James (name changed) playing and me being allowed to watch. It actually made me more nervous watching him in a small stadium and sat in a stand rather than standing next to an open park pitch, exposed to the elements.
James had been nervous the night before but was excited too. He had pack and repacked his bag at least five times and he looked very smart and very professional when we left for the short drive to the venue. He disappeared into the changing room while I got myself a tea and bacon roll.
James was picked in the starting eleven and played really well, scoring one and making another in a pretty easy 4-0 win. After the game we sat in the Social Club, at the ground and had a cuppa. The Coach came over and said well done to James and said hello to me.
We chatted to some of the other players and their families and then headed home. James put his kit in the washing machine and went out to clean his boots in the garden.
On Sunday we went over to my oldest son’s house for dinner and he chatted away about the game, the day before, and how he’d played.
We had a great day and headed home rather stuffed. With James back to school on the Monday I received a call from his Social Worker asking if she could come over on Wednesday to see James and myself as she had some news about Mum.
I spoke to my Supervising Social Worker who said they would be there too. When James came home from school I told him about the meeting and wasn’t really bothered, just rolled his eyes. I was concerned how he would react.
After dinner we sat and watched TV. James, out of the blue, said to me that he didn’t want to go home, he wanted to stay with me. It was a difficult statement to answer.
Yes, we had become close and yes, I could provide him with things that his Mum couldn’t or wouldn’t. However I knew that he would need to go home if Mum got through the rehab, which wasn’t a certainty.
I said to James that we would have to wait and see what was said at the meeting and act accordingly. James decided that he wanted to go to bed and off he went. I sensed that he wasn’t happy but decisions weren’t in our hands.
James was very quiet the following morning and he went off to school. I noted all his comments in my diary and emailed my Supervising Social Worker to give them a heads up regarding James’ comments. They then called me and we had a forty five minute conversation regarding James.
I made it clear that there would be no problem with James staying in placement for as long as was required.
Fostering Blog
We finished the conversation and I carried on with my day, wondering what the next few days would bring. It was going to be an interesting time and, I suspect, very emotional for James.
Fosterman – A Blogging Foster Carer – Telling it How it is Blog
