"So, this is it? Elm Tree House.." I look up at the big building stood before me, and take a deep breath. Yet another new care home to get used to, yet another bunch of people I have to get used to, and yet another batch of care workers I have to get close to. Oh joy. As my social worker, Jane, hands me my back-pack from out of her car, I hang it over my shoulder and approach the front door to the house. Jane stands in front of me and knocks on the door, giving me her signature sweet smile as she does so. I'm quite close to Jane. She's been my social worker since I first got into the care system about 10 years ago, when I was 5, so I've practically grown up with her being around.
"Nervous, hun?" She asks me, her smile still tight on her lips. I just nod in response and she places her hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing it. I smile. That's normally her way of telling me everything will be okay. She knows how bad I suffer with my anxiety.
The door is finally opened by a young woman with dark hair, probably in her early or mid 20s. She smiles and introduces herself to myself and Jane as Tracy. My lips curl into my best attempt at a smile, as I shake her outstretched hand. "I'm Joey." I mumble, my strong Manchurian accent evident in my voice as I speak. She leads us both into the house, through the hallway and into the office, where a man and a woman are sat at seperate desks with computers, phones etc on them. The man introduces himself as Mike, and the woman as Gina. We exchange smiles and handshakes, then Tracy escorts me out of the office will Jane sorts out my paperwork and such with the other two adults.
"You'll like it here. The kids are very welcoming, you'll be sure to make friends with them. And Mike and Gina will help you if you have any problems whatsoever, so will I. Don't be afraid to ask, yeah?" She says to me as she leads me up a flight of stairs, to my bedroom. She opens the door, and we both walk into the fairly large room. There's a bed, a chest of drawers and a wardrobe, that's about it. Man, I can't wait to get my hands dirty decorating in here. "There's not much, but once you settle in you can put up posters and things to make it more your own. I'll leave you to unpack, see ya later!" She waves, I wave back and she quickly exits my new room, shutting the door silently behind her. Setting my bag down on the floor by my bed, I kick off my dirty, battered Converse and lay back on my new bed, looking up at the white ceiling. 'I can see myself liking it here..' I think to myself as I yawn, my eyelids becoming incredibly heavy as I try and resist the urge to curl up and take a well-needed nap before I meet the other kids that live here. 'Just five minutes..'