‘Dear Casey, I luv you soooooooo much and so does Ash. We luv your cudduls and your kisses but when Myk kist us his chin ticculs. We will miss you and fink about you all the tym, keep ar picturs on the wall, lots of love from Olivia Wardhill age 7
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx’
This letter takes pride of place underneath the photograph of Olivia and Ashton that we took on the beach in South Wales. It still makes me smile every time I walk by it, as I remember their squeals and their anxious little faces when experiencing ‘the seaside’ for the very first time.
Two years down the line, both children are doing exceptionally well, and to my great relief, my fears about their separation have been laid to rest. Their respective carers have proved to be sensitive and full of wisdom about the children’s needs, and though they live apart, they are still very much in touch with each other and, as I write, their bond still remains strong. We see them too; they still come to visit us in the school holidays and I can’t help but feel so, so proud of them.
As for the disclosures made by the children when they were with us, Olivia, during her subsequent time with a counsellor, was actually very revealing. As I write, there have still been no arrests, it’s true, but even though officially it’s no longer of concern to us, John tells me that social services are still amassing evidence and that it’s ‘only a matter of time now’. So I’m still very confident that the biggest villain in all this will, one day, have that day in court.
I knew I would miss the children dreadfully – when they left, the house suddenly felt so quiet! – but having a second grandson to fuss over, not to mention our gorgeous Levi, helped keep me busy when I needed to be most. And all too soon, of course, came along the next ‘unfosterable’ foster child. One thing’s for sure about my chosen career – the work never, ever dries up …
It also helped to feel that, in giving Ashton and Olivia a loving home, we’d played a part in something so important. Had these children not been rescued from their hellish lives when they were, there’s little doubt that, as would also have been true for their younger siblings, they would have continued to be abused, and perhaps scarred to such a point that they would never live normal adult lives. As it turned out, they not only found their own way to a brighter future, they also ensured that the next generation would not become little prisoners themselves.