Alice had some understanding of the Guardian’s role in deciding her future, and had met Carole once before when she’d been living with her grandparents. But as usual after seeing her nana and grandpa, Alice was very subdued and clingy, and needed lots of cuddles and reassurance that it wouldn’t be long until Saturday when she could speak to them on the phone. When the Guardian came, not realizing this, or forgetting that Alice had just had contact with her grandparents, she tried to chat to Alice, who was on the sofa, snuggled close into my side. ‘How was nursery today?’ Carole asked brightly, as one would normally, talking to a child. ‘What did you do?’ Alice nodded glumly but didn’t say anything. ‘Don’t you like nursery?’ Carole asked. ‘You used to. I remember you told me.’ ‘Alice is just a bit sad from having said goodbye to her nana and grandpa,’ I explained. ‘She saw them this afternoon,’ I reminded her. ‘Ah, right,’ Carole said. ‘Yes, of course.’ Then to Alice: ‘How are Nana and Grandpa?
