Glass - Finding Stevie: a dark secret, a child in crisis

Certain details in this story, including names, places and dates, have been changed to protect the familys privacy.

HarperElement

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First published by HarperElement 2019

FIRST EDITION

Text Cathy Glass 2019

Cover layout design HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

Cover photograph Mark Owen/Trevillion Images (posed by a model)

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Cathy Glass asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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Source ISBN: 9780008324292

Ebook Edition February 2019 ISBN: 9780008324308

Version: 2019-01-09

A big thank you to my family; my editors, Carolyn and Holly; my literary agent, Andrew; my UK publishers HarperCollins, and my overseas publishers who are now too numerous to list by name. Last, but definitely not least, a big thank you to my readers for your unfailing support and kind words. They are much appreciated.

Chapter One

and hes gender-fluid, Edith continued. So together with all his behavioural problems his grandparents dont feel they can look after him any longer.

No, quite, I can see thats rather a lot to cope with, I sympathised. His grandparents must be stretched to the limit, looking after his younger brother and sister too.

So youll take him? Edith asked. She was my supervising social worker, employed by the local authority to supervise and support their foster carers, of which I was one. Shed just been telling me about Steven, who liked to be known as Stevie. Aged fourteen, he needed a foster home as according to his grandparents he was confrontational, moody, withdrawn, stayed out late, didnt do as they told him, wasnt going to school and was generally making their lives a complete misery.

So Ill tell his social worker youll take him, Edith said, slightly impatient at my hesitation.

Yes, but I have a question.

Go on.

What does gender-fluid mean? I asked reluctantly, not wanting to appear ignorant and make a fool of myself. Is he gay?

Not sure, she said. I think its mainly to do with whether he is male or female, but his social worker will be able to tell you more. Its not a problem for you, is it?

No.

Good. Ill tell his social worker to phone you. They want to move Stevie as quickly as possible.

How quickly?

Within the next few days.

All right.

And you had a good Christmas? Edith asked. It was 27 December and the first day back at work for many.

Yes, thank you, and you?

Busy.

We said goodbye and I replaced the handset on its base in the hall. Our Christmas had been a good one, although it was the first since my father had passed away and, as anyone who has lost a loved one knows, the first Christmas and their birthday can be rather emotional. But my family and I had enjoyed ourselves for Dads sake; a child at heart, he always loved Christmas.

Was that Edith? Paula, my youngest daughter, aged nineteen, asked as I returned to the living room. Id left the room to take the call in the hall so I wouldnt disturb her. Wed been watching a box set of a detective series, although shed paused it anyway.

Yes, it was, I said, returning to sit next to her on the sofa. The social services are bringing a fourteen-year-old boy into care as soon as they can and would like him to come here. She nodded. Paula, do you know what gender-fluid means? At her age and attending college, I thought she might.

She shrugged. Not really. Ive heard of it, but I dont really know exactly what it means.

Me neither. You continue watching the programme while I check online.

Its OK, Ill wait for you, she said, and kept the programme on pause.

I picked up my mobile phone and entered gender-fluid into the search engine. As a foster carer I attended regular training, but so far the training on sexual matters had centred around keeping children in care safe paedophiles, STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), birth control and so on. Gender-fluidity hadnt been covered, but I knew how important it was to keep abreast of such matters, as well as acquiring the correct terminology. In the twenty-five years Id been fostering, children in care had variously been known as FC (foster child), CiC (child in care), LAC (looked-after child), and the foster parents as Mum and Dad, foster mum and dad, and foster carers. This was the tip of the iceberg; beneath that lay a mass of acronyms ready to catch out any unsuspecting foster carer: SSW (supervising social worker), CPP (child-protection plan), CIN (child in need) and IEP (individual education plan), to name a few.

Gender-fluid, I read out from my phone, is someone who does not see themselves as having a fixed gender that is, male or female.

Oh, said Paula.

I read on: Its not about the sex they were born, but about how they see themselves. A gender-fluid person may identify as male or female or a combination of both. Their gender can vary with their circumstance. Gender-fluid people may be known as multigender, non-binary or transgender. See what I mean about terminology! They may also be known as genderqueer.

That doesnt sound a very nice term, Paula said, and I agreed. But at least I now had an understanding of what gender-fluid meant, which was just as well, for as Paula pressed play for us to continue watching the television series the landline phone rang again. Paula sighed and pressed pause as I reached over to answer the handset in the living room.

Is that Cathy Glass? a female voice asked.

Yes, speaking.

Im Verity Meldrew, Stevies social worker. I believe Edith has spoken to you about Stevie and youve agreed to take him?

Yes.

Good. Ill give you some background information then.

That would be helpful.

The social services have been involved with the family since Steven or rather Stevie was born. His mother has a long history of alcohol and drug dependency and has been diagnosed with alcohol psychosis, resulting in her having hallucinations and delusions. She has spent time in a psychiatric unit, but at present is in prison. She has no face-to-face contact with Stevie, although in the past they may have been in contact through social media. As far as we are aware Stevie has no contact with his father. Stevies maternal grandparents have brought him up and are working with us, so he will be coming into care under a Section 20. This is also known as accommodated and means that no court order is required, as the parents or guardians of the child (in this case the grandparents) have agreed to the child going into care voluntarily.

Stevies grandparents have guardianship of the two younger siblings, Verity continued. There are no issues with their care, so they will be staying with them. However, the grandparents have been under huge pressure and have reached the point where they feel they can no longer cope with Stevies challenging behaviour. It came to a head when they received notice threatening court action in respect of Stevie not attending school.