Cameron is six years old and was born when his mother, Becky, was nearly 17 years old. Becky has tried to continue her own life and, although there have been no concrete worries about Cameron, neither his nursery nor his primary school feel that they have been able to get Becky to focus on being a parent to her son. This summer she went on holiday to Greece with a new boyfriend and left Cameron for three weeks with some friends of hers. Cameron was very distressed while Becky was gone and has been loath to let her out of his sight ever since. Becky fi nds this very irritating and continues to say that she explained everything to her son and that it was not a suitable holiday for a child and asks ‘So what was I supposed to do?’ Cameron does not seem to like his mother’s new boyfriend but Becky says that her son is only jealous and does not like sharing her. The teachers have noticed that Cameron is quieter than he used to be. Recently he said to the one male teacher in the school, ‘I hold my willy, don’t I? Nobody else should hold my willy.’ Cameron was unwilling to say any more but he was later overheard saying to one of the other boys, ‘Does your Daddy hold your willy?’ Sometimes the new boyfriend comes with Becky to pick up Cameron from school and Cameron refuses to take his hand. This afternoon it is just the boyfriend, without Becky, and Cameron has flatly refused to leave.
● What would concern you about this general situation for Cameron?
● How should you deal with the immediate problem today?
