Hart - The girl who wanted to belong: The True Story of a Devastated Little Girl and the Foster Carer who Healed her Broken Heart

Contents

So many questions!

Thats wonderful! Jess exclaimed. Ill let the social worker know right away. Thanks so much. This is great news for Lucy. Please thank Jonathan from me. What would I do without you two? I shudder to think!

Jess had been our support social worker for some time and wed got to know each other well. She was a good ten years younger than my husband Jonathan and me we were in our forties now yet Jess always seemed wise beyond her years. She was extremely efficient at her job and had a way of always saying the right thing, even when she was completely snowed under with work.

Thanks, Jess. We look forward to meeting Lucy. Itll be nice to have another little girl in the house.

Lucys very fortunate, Jess replied, sounding relieved. I think you are the ideal foster carers for her. Let me make the arrangements and Ill call you back as soon as I can. Hopefully well get her to you tomorrow. Is that OK?

Perfect.

When I put the phone down I felt supported and appreciated, just as I always did after talking to Jess. I was also excited, apprehensive and slightly nervous about meeting our new arrival. To this day those emotions still collide whenever a new child is due to start a placement. I love the sense of anticipation, wondering what the child will be like, how we will get along and how we will be able to help. I immediately start thinking about how to make him or her welcome when they turn up at our door; I want them to feel comfortable from the moment they arrive, although thats not always possible. No child comes to us without issues and I always have underlying worries about what state they will be in, what problems we may need to deal with and whether or not we really will be the right foster carers for the job.

Lucy had recently turned eight years old and Jess had explained to me on the phone that she was described by family members as being disruptive, aggressive, belligerent and totally impossible to live with. She had support in the classroom, which suggested she had some special educational needs, but there were no further details. Her mum was off the scene Jess didnt know the details and Lucy was left with her father, two brothers and her little sister. Problems started when her dad moved his new partner and her young daughter into the family home. Lucy clashed with her stepmother so badly she was sent to live with two different aunties, miles out of town. They either didnt want her or couldnt cope and so Lucy was packed off to stay with her elderly grandmother who lived even further away, in a different county. Lucy had missed a lot of school during this period and it was her struggling gran who had reluctantly called Social Services, asking for help after finding herself unable to cope.

Jess also told me that Lucys placement would be short term. The little girl missed her daddy and siblings and desperately wanted to go home, despite the issues she had with her new stepmother. It would be our job to help integrate Lucy back into the family unit. Her father and stepmother and possibly some of the children would be given support in the form of family counselling, to help pave the way for Lucys return. Lucy would see a psychologist and also take part in group family therapy. It was expected the whole process would take two or three months, although understandably nothing was set in stone.

Jonathan and I are well used to taking in children at short notice and not knowing how long they will be staying. Wed been fostering for more than a decade at this point in time. Wed looked after dozens of kids and many had come to us as emergency cases, at even shorter notice than Lucy. I was delighted we could offer Lucy a home, and as soon as Id finished talking to Jess I went to sort out a bedroom for her, to make sure she would feel as welcome as possible.

The following day Lucy arrived with a social worker called Brian. I was standing on the pavement in front of our flower shop, helping to take in the last of the displays, when they pulled up in a bright red Mini. To my amusement Brian looked exactly like Rowan Atkinson; the likeness was uncanny. As he got out of the car and shook my hand I thought to myself, Im glad his cars not green or Id have thought Mr Bean had arrived!

May I present Lucy, Brian said very brightly as the small and very slender little girl climbed out of the back of the car.

I was struck by Brians energy. He had collected Lucy from her grandmothers house, which Id been alarmed to discover was more than a hundred miles away. He must have been driving for hours and it was a Friday too and so the traffic cant have been great, especially in the afternoon rush. Nevertheless, Brian was all smiles and looked as fresh as a daisy. Lucy appeared remarkably bright in the circumstances too. She gave me a broad grin and said hello enthusiastically, which I was very pleased about. As she smiled I noticed shed lost her two front teeth; her adult teeth were just starting to push through the top gum. Lucy looked very young for her age and she could have passed for a child of seven or maybe even six. She was very pretty, with bright blue eyes, a sprinkling of pale freckles on her nose and beautiful honey-blonde hair that framed her little face and bounced on her shoulders. I grinned back at her, thinking how appealing she looked and how friendly she seemed. It was almost as if shed come for a social visit, rather than arriving for a foster care placement, which was very heartening to see.

Im Angela. Its lovely to meet you Lucy. Come and meet my husband Jonathan, hes in the shop.

Is this your shop?

Yes. Its a family business. Weve been running it for a very long time. My mum ran it before us. Youll meet her soon enough, Im sure.

I thought you were just foster carers. Wow! Do you own all these flowers? Whats your mums name? Where does she live? Does she live with you as well?

Lucy was standing in the middle of the shop now, taking everything in, her eyes darting everywhere.

So many questions! my husband said cheerfully, stepping from behind the counter. Hello Lucy, Im Jonathan. Very pleased to meet you.

She said hello politely and I introduced Jonathan to Brian. Decent journey? Jonathan asked.

Before Brian could answer, Lucy was off again. What do you do with all the flowers you dont sell? Where do you grow them all? You must have a big garden. Who does the gardening? I like gardening. Have you got flowers in your house? Do you have to water them all? Does it take ages? It must take ages. Whats this stuff for?

We try not to have too many flowers we dont sell, but if we do have any going past their sell-by date we often put them in the house, so we can enjoy them. Jonathan goes to collect them from the wholesalers, we do have a garden, but we dont grow any of the flowers for the shop. Yes, they all need watering, and that green foamy stuff is for making flower arrangements. Its called oasis and it helps the flowers stand up and stay in place. You push the stalks into it, to keep them upright. Does that answer your questions?

Er... I think so.

My mums called Thelma, by the way, I said. She lives nearby and she loves to meet all the children who stay with us. She babysits for us sometimes.

Oh! Do you have a baby?

No, I mean she looks after the children we foster for us sometimes.

Lucy nodded and seemed to approve. I like the smell in here. Can I help you? Id love to work in a shop!