@GeraldineBanks January2025
Alex’s assessment day went according to plan and exactly as Moira had described it. The building where Martin, Sandy and Alex were dropped off by the taxi was exactly like a Government building, although once inside it seemed suitably child friendly with pictures on the wall , child size furniture and a good selection of toys in reception. Alex was in good form and by now being nearly two was crawling and quite enjoying himself. After about a fifteen minute wait, two obviously separate groups of people came into reception. There were two men in suits following a very smartly dressed young lady. The lady introduced herself and the gentlemen as part of the assesssment team and explained that the two young women who followed slightly behind them and were dressed in casual clothing would take Alex to the play room.
The smart young lady turned to Alex and said
” You prepared the Suitcase as requested, just in case your little boy needs to stay overnight for tests.”
Sandy nodded and handed the case to one of the casually dressed girls. The other girl had knelt down and was asking Alex about the tractor and the bricks he was playing with.
” We’ve got a bigger tractor next door, would you like to see it?” She smiled. Alex was smitten.
He looked up at Sandy as if to say was it alright, but Sandy didn’t get a chance to say anything . One of the men said
” My that’s a great idea! You seem a clever little chap, definately, you’ll like the tractor next door. Yes!”
Alex still looked at his mum, but it was too late, the young girl lifted Alex up and whisked him off. All Sandy and Martin saw was him disappearing behind two swing doors. Alex turned and looked at them both, he seemed unsure.
“I put his medication in the suitcase, he’ll be due some in 3 hours.” Sandy said to the smartly dressed woman.
” Oh that’ ll be fine, don’t worry. We have his full medical records on file, the girls will make sure he get’s it. Or perhaps you can give it to him yourself . Hopefully we’ll have sorted something out by then.
As things turned out they never saw Alex again that day. They had been interrogated like criminals, and the facade that they would be taking Alex home with them was kept up right until they were shown into a lift which took them back down to reception. They sat in reception an hour while their case notes were discussed. Finally the smartly dressed lady came down to reception and explained that Alex was going to be kept in for “tests”, there was nothing to worry about and someone would be in touch.
No one ever did get in touch with Sandy and Martin. After three weeks , they received a formal Government letter saying that Alex was to be placed in permanent residential care and that it would be better, it was felt, as he was so young that there would be no further contact with his natural parents, he would be well looked after and would get the best of care for his limited life. Meanwhile they recommended a course of fertility treatment and that as Alex could no longer qualify for the incentive payments, the sooner this was started the better.
Sandy was prepared for the harshness of the letter, Martin despaired but what could he do?
On Moira’s advice Sandy had arranged for Alex to be microchipped by an underground agency who were known for gathering information and protesting about missing children. Sandy had found them online with Moira’s help. There had been an Cable programme made about such organisations and Moira was able to access the archives .The chip was not traceable , the Authorities always scanned for them. The only reason the chip would stop transmitting was because it was destroyed in a fire, a crematorium fire. The child would have passed then. This was explained bluntly to Sandy over an automated encrypted phone call , Sandy felt drained at not being able to ask questions or respond, she just sat silently and listened to the computer generated voice, it was Alex’s only lifeline, so she persisted , it broke her heart.
Sandy and Martin, with their finances again affected by not officially having any offspring continued with their lives and with the fertility treatment. Sandy became pregnant with the Twins and a year after the assessment meeting on a dark , cold , winter’s night Sandy told Martin that Alex’s tracker signal had stopped. They both felt helpless that they had been unable to save their son. The pain would never go away. Their priority now though was the twins and now that they had fulfilled their Statutory Procreational Obligations life must go on.
thenotsomightyom 