Fostering Blog
I really dislike this whole lockdown palaver! I actually feel quite jealous of James (name changed) going off to school every day and being able to see his friends.
His football was called off on Saturday and none of the shops were open so we just went chilled on Saturday, watched sport, played Play-station and ate too much. So on Sunday we decided to go for a long walk somewhere, just to get some exercise and stretch our legs.
There were lots of people out and, although the weather wasn’t great, we had a really nice walk talking about all sorts of positive stuff, including Christmas. Sunday evening we sat and watched the last round of the golf. I haven’t quite converted James to golf yet but I am working on it. So a quiet, relaxed, chilled weekend for us both.
James went off to school Monday morning in a good mood as he would be seeing his girlfriend, Paige, and he was very excited about that. I went off to get some shopping and was half way around when my phone went off. I recognised the number as James’ school.
The school asked if I could go there straight away as there had been an ‘incident’. I dumped my trolley with a poor unsuspecting member of staff and left the store to drive to the school. On arrival I was sent to the Head masters office where I saw James sat there looking very distressed.
Apparently James was walking from the f the bus stop to school went a car pulled up alongside him. In the car were Mum and two men, one of whom he recognised. Mum had got out of the car with the man that James had recognised. Mum then asked James if he had any money on him, fortunately James hadn’t.
Mum then asked if they could take him back to mine to get some money off of me, but James said no. The other man in the car then got out and starting arguing with James’ Mum, saying that she had said that she would be able to get money from James and that they owed him money.
Fortunately one of James’ teachers was driving past and stopped to ask what was going on. James went and got in the teachers car while Mum and the two men got in their car and drove off.
Poor James was petrified. It was suggested that I took him home and I agreed. We got home and James changed out of his uniform whilst I called the Social Worker. The Social Worker was absolutely horrified, she said she would clear her diary, that afternoon, and come over to see him.
I also called my Supervising Social worker who said they would come over too. They both arrived at about 2.30 and James told them exactly what happened.
He had literally just finished when his mobile went off, it was Mum, so he ignored it. Shortly afterwards there was a noise to indicate a message had been left. He put it on loudspeaker and we listened to Mum saying that she owed money for drugs and didn’t have any.
She wanted James to lie to me to get his hands on some money which they would come over to collect or, if he couldn’t get any cash, to take something of value and she would sell it to raise the money. James was disgusted, as we all were.
A Simply Fostering Blogging Foster Carer.
