Family Addicted Parents: Last Chance to Keep My Children

In Sheffield, 12 families live together.

This is our house!

But these are no ordinary families...

MAN LAUGHS

..and this is no ordinary house.

This is the only family rehab in the UK.

This is about your recovery.

This is about your children.

More children than ever are being taken into care because their parents

are addicted to drugs or alcohol.

This place believes in giving them a second chance.

My mum said before she got into rehab, "Failure is not an option."

Say bye.

Unlike any other rehab,

it helps mums and dads give up their addiction

while they care for their children.

My mum told me she would do whatever she could.

To get you back.

Happy birthday, Mum!

Thank you!

Recovery will be tough.

I'm sorry!

But these parents know if they don't get clean,

they'll lose their children for good.

This is not a bail hostel - you don't choose to stay in bed all day.

Following six months of treatment,

this is the story of one addicted family

facing the hardest challenge of their lives.

Right now, your placement with your son hangs in the balance

over the next seven days.

Try and take my kid, mate - over my dead body.

If somebody wants to play games,

go and play them somewhere else,

because the stakes are too high here.

At Phoenix Futures Family Service,

parents and children stay in a therapeutic community,

confronting addiction together.

The parents are often motivated by the fact

that they're here with the children.

We don't want the children to be in foster care,

we don't want the families to be broken up,

and it's often a reminder that this is the last chance for them.

Oh, look at that big smile this morning.

I know, beautiful smile, he's got, Kyle!

Oh, that's mine!

Says, "I'll have a little look at it, though."

36-year-old Micky is a crack and heroin addict.

He started taking drugs at 13.

He's beginning six months of treatment with his son Kyle.

Feel better than what I did yesterday morning.

The programme has three stages.

The first is to detox.

A daily dose of methadone, a heroin substitute,

should wean Micky off the physical craving.

One, two, three, whee!

KYLE SQUEALS

See you later.

Bye!

Well, me and my partner were going to come in as a family,

me, Kyle and Faye.

But then Faye got sent down, well,

remanded for a short time, which messed it all up.

So, I thought I'd come in and start it off with Kyle.

Social services were on my back a bit.

If I hadn't have come in here, they were going to take us to court,

because we've been doing it for such a long time.

You know, it's just a bad habit, and we just need to kick it out,

and I know people say, you know, you shouldn't do it,

your kids, and that, and we used to be one of the people

that used to say that, but you don't realise how hard it is.

Micky - his preferred method is injecting,

so he's been injecting prior to coming to us.

He started using heroin when he was 18 years of age,

and that has spanned over 17 years,

so he's got quite a lengthy history of heroin addiction.

He is in a relationship with Kyle's mother.

Faye - she's 28 years of age.

Substances of choice are heroin, crack and alcohol.

Faye is also trying to control her addiction,

and to resist the temptation of heroin

with her daily dose of methadone.

But she's doing it on the outside.

Because Micky and Kyle had gone away, obviously, all of a sudden,

I'm on my own, and...

come up here to the chemist, and there's all people

who are on heroin, and they're talking about it and saying,

"Oh, such and such has got some really good gear,"

and then you're dead down, and you think one won't hurt,

and then you have it, and then it's another, then it's another,

and then you've got a habit on top of your methadone.

The reason why I went to prison was because I was offending,

I was pinching, to support my drug habit.

The local authority have been involved with Kyle from birth,

and they've had some concerns, obviously,

about Kyle's safety in terms of Mum and Dad's substance misuse,

and there's been some concerns about Kyle's development and any harm that

he may have suffered as a consequence of Mum and Dad's use.

I do love you.

Social services issued an ultimatum -

give up drugs and go to rehab, or lose Kyle.

If I lost him, that would be the end of me -

I'd go completely out of control.

I'd end up in prison, and it'd be a downward spiral,

and I'd go...

And I need to be going with them and changing my life and being a mum,

a mother to my little boy.

KYLE CRIES

It's been strange - it's been all about drugs in the past,

except for now when it's about Kyle.

So she's going to come in here, we're both going to be drug-free...

and build a new life together,

and find out if we're compatible off drugs!

HE CHUCKLES

Which is, like... Which is what we'll all work on in here, isn't it?

The only thing that worries me is, like, if we argue and that,

you know what I mean, and she, or me for that matter, go out and use,

do you know what I mean?

It's always going to be there, isn't it?

Always, forever.

That worries me, but I know for a fact that I won't, because of Kyle.

And I like to think she wouldn't, and all.

Only time will tell.

One, two, three...

Change this bum-bum.

KYLE CHATTERS

Every weekday morning,

the children are looked after at an on-site nursery,

where they're assessed by Jen and the childcare team.

In here, it's very noisy.

Kyle doesn't seem to respond very well to a lot of noise.

Kyle, when he gets frustrated, head-butts the floor.

Not uncommon for kids to do that.

It seems to be a way that they express their frustrations

when they can't verbalise what they're feeling.

However, Kyle does it on such a regular basis that we're concerned,

as a childcare department,

because there's definitely some delay in his learning at the minute.

When Faye and Micky were at home,

apparently, Kyle was placed in a pushchair in front of the telly,

whilst the parents were misusing substances.

It's very difficult at this point to tell if Kyle is delayed

because of the lack of interaction,

or if it's something that will later have a diagnosis, ADHD or autism -

we don't know.

-Got nowhere to go, Micky.

-Go in my room, if you want.

Don't be cheeky!

Polly has weekly sessions with Micky.

As his key worker, she keeps social services informed of his progress.

You're a good member of the community, aren't you?

I like to think so, but I can get carried away,

-so I have to engage brain sometimes.

-Yeah, all right.

-And I am working on it, I do try.

-Yeah.

-What's difficult, then? What are you finding difficult?

-It's just...

Erm... My emotions are like a roller-coaster.

One minute, I'm dead happy, then dead sad, and then dead angry.

You know what I mean?

-I'm like, boom, where's that come from?

-OK.

-And the slightest little thing will piss me off.

-All right.

So you're aware of that, you're reflecting on that.

-Do you know what's causing it?

-I know it's the detox causing that,

I know it is. I've not been opiate or drug-free since 18,

since I can remember, you know what I mean?

Drinking methadone this morning, there's only about that much in it,

-it's like, well...

-"What am I doing?"

-Mmm.

But I know for a fact, Faye,

she won't take it as easy as me, cos she's got bad health, anyway.

OK.

There has been times where she's been that sick,

ambulance has had to come to give her a sickness injection.

-OK.

-And if that don't happen, normally, we'd have some gear,

-and that would soothe it down, but we can't do that, can we?

-No.

He seems to have a pretty good routine with Kyle.

He's involving himself in groups and the community,

so it's all going in the right direction, I think, for him.

There will probably come at a stage where he digs his heels in,

and doesn't like something about the programme,

and then we can perhaps see more of his real self,

rather than this happy-go-lucky chappie

who's just going to sail through it all.

I'm sure it won't be that easy.

The daily routine is strict.

Parents must share household chores.

I don't want to be cleaning, but it's part of the rota, isn't it?

Supposed to try and take your mind off feeling whatever.

I don't do it at home, Faye does it.

I suppose, after doing all this,

I'll be qualified for a cleaner job, won't I?

I want better than a cleaning job, anyway,

but there's nowt wrong in it.

I want to go back to forklift truck driving.

I enjoyed that.

So what happened to that job?

That were about ten, 11 years ago.

My brother did a five-year stint in jail.

Luke, the one who's dead now, bless him.

And he said, "Micky, can I come and live with you?

"I don't want to go in a hostel, back on drugs, and that."

So I said yeah.

Within a week, him and my missus had started seeing each other.

And that just did it - I didn't go to work.

I just didn't go back, and started back on Class A drugs.

I went on self-destruct.

We didn't talk for a long time.

But then my auntie died, and we went to her funeral,

and me and Luke made up, like, you know what I mean?

And...

And then he died when Kyle were about a week old.

He got a nasty infection through his, erm...

site where he injects.

From catching it to dying only took four days.

So I'm glad I made up with him.

Are you ready? Go upstairs?

Whee! Whoo-whoo-whoo!

Are we going to see Mama and Grandad?

KYLE CHATTERS

Look - Mama and Grandad!

After detoxing,

residents are allowed occasional visits from family members

to help maintain a connection with the outside world.

For Micky's parents, Pete and Carol,

it's the first time in 23 years

they've seen their son clean of drugs.

He had his difficulties as a very small boy,

with a speech impediment, and he only had the infant school -

he didn't have much of his senior school.

He got expelled, which is a shame,

and we were never able to get him into another school.

That's when he was out on the street, from the age of 12.

Him and his younger brother, they were out on the streets -

we could not bring them back into the home.

CAROL SIGHS

They would do things, like, for the older boys,

get through windows,

to actually open the windows for robbery, burglary,

and that's how it all started.

But the thing is, because there was so much lies,

so much deceit,

it's very, very difficult for us now -

it's 36 years -

to actually break down the barriers.

We've got a terminology that the parasites have come in,

cos we know that we're going to be ripped off.

All they want to do is drain you of your blood, your lifeblood.

They're not your children, so you can't think of them

as that little hairy-backed boy that popped out, and...

-HE CHUCKLES

-..gave us a smile at such an early age

that, you know, you fell in love with.

So, you've actually...

A parasite has been created out of the husk of your child,

as you might say, just to get that next fix.

You try everything, don't you, everything.

Nothing.

It's too strong a thing to do anything.

With not just having one addict, we've had two addicts. Erm...

If you look on the far wall,

you'll actually see a picture of his brother, Luke.

After a 20-year journey, he didn't have the immunity,

and finally, it killed him.

And that's the only way that I can explain it.

CAROL SOBS

Residents must attend daily group therapy sessions,

which start with everyone sharing their feelings.

-Morning, people!

-OTHERS:

-Morning.

I feel like crap tonight!

LAUGHTER

You know, my body's aching all over me, and...

You know what I mean, up and down.

But I'm positive. I'm thinking about Faye coming, that's making my year,

-that has.

-First day substance-free!

-Yeah.

THEY CHEER AND APPLAUD

Oh, Faye!

Seven weeks in for Micky and Kyle,

and Faye is allowed to join her family.

Kyle's here.

Kyle! Oh, my God!

Hiya!

-Hiya!

-It's Mummy!

-Mummy!

-Mummy!

-Remember Mummy?

-There's Mummy!

Look, he's tired.

Glad you got here,

but we do need to breathalyse you and sample you...

-Yeah.

-..as soon as possible.

-Yes.

As soon as we've done that,

-we'll get all your stuff upstairs, and I'll search it all.

-Right, OK.

And then I'll kind of leave you to it, then.

Yeah, so I've been Micky's key worker,

-so I'll be looking after both of you together.

-Yeah.

Keep going. Keep you trim!

FAYE LAUGHS

Polly must check Faye's belongings for banned items.

Smuggled drugs and alcohol, mobile phones,

or even addictive energy drinks

can put the recovery of all the housemates at risk.

Faye's come in while I've come off it, methadone,

and I'll be feeling better for when she's feeling worse,

so we'll be able to help each other through it, especially with Kyle.

But Faye - it's going to be a lot harder for Faye, I know it is.

-Right, there you are, missus.

-My birthday on Monday.

-Ah!

Very good!

As Faye detoxes, her methadone will be gradually reduced.

These bottles are getting very small.

It normally takes a month to complete the detox.

Trying to stop using substances, either heroin or methadone...

..all those emotions that they've suppressed for quite a long time

kind of come to the surface, sometimes through anger.

It is quite a sensitive time, and it can be quite overwhelming.

Am I allowed to go and get my meds before I feed Kyle?

Well, that's your decision, isn't it? Do what you want.

I'll go and get my meds, yeah.

You go and carve the meal up, and I'll get it when I get back, yeah?

So, you mean, me give Kyle his dinner,

cos there's about ten people waiting for meds downstairs.

-Right, well, I'll do it, then.

-No, I'll do it. Just go, Faye, just go.

-Just get gone.

-I'll do it now, then.

-No, I'll do it!

You shouldn't make a job out of it, you should do it easily,

you should WANT to do it.

I am. Micky, I fed him earlier on.

Sweetheart, how do you think I coped for all them seven weeks on my own?

Get on with it - soldier on.

# Oh, baby Kyle... #

Show Daddy that beautiful smile!

Show Daddy that beautiful smile!

Whee! Good boy!

Me and Faye - that's hard work at the minute.

For me, it is, anyway.

We've got to get in a routine, haven't we?

Do you know what I mean?

Me and Kyle were in a good routine, and now it's just gone to pot,

and we need to focus on that.

Don't head-butt the water!

Me and Micky are really stressed out.

You know, cos he's done his detox.

Erm...but sometimes he says I don't do a lot with Kyle, which I do.

Most people see me with Kyle a lot.

But he isn't... You know, he thinks he does everything, so...

But, erm...

I just wish he'd communicate more with me instead of...going off...

If I talk to him, he says I'm moaning.

Me and Faye, we'll soldier on, we'll get through it.

I know I say to her sometimes, "Oh, piss off and leave,"

you know what I mean, but she should know I just...

I just say stuff in temper, and I don't mean it.

We've been through a lot, me and Micky.

So I just hope that I get the strength, and...

..that if there is a God above, he doesn't give me

too much of a bad detox, you know,

and he helps me through it, and gives me some strength.

Oh...

Just stay here two minutes.

KYLE CRIES

Until now, Kyle's been happier in the quiet baby room.

But things are changing.

Sarah, I'm wondering if Kyle's asking to go next door.

Yeah?

I think this is what we're getting upset about.

I think he's, like, "Get me out of here"!

Kyle's doing really well.

From being in here and being quite settled in here,

we've noticed that he started to get a little bit fractious.

As soon as we let him into the sleep room,

he went straight over to the door which leads to nursery,

and was really excited and laughing.

And I think Kyle's trying to tell us

that he's ready to explore somewhere else,

and be challenged by more advanced activities, so that's great.

Initially, there didn't seem to be any particular focus.

Now, he's really engaging with IT, toys,

so he's just naturally progressing,

and got to a point where he is actually interested in toys

that are going to be a bit more involving for him.

Six weeks in, and Faye's prayers for an easy detox have gone unanswered.

She's skipping the compulsory group sessions

because of her struggle to come off heroin.

On a methadone reduction, we usually reduce by 5ml every three days.

So, that first day might be a little bit uncomfortable,

the middle day should have levelled out, third day will be fine,

and then you'll reduce again.

It's been worked out as the perfect reduction.

I didn't think they reduced you as quick as they did.

Micky didn't tell me.

I think he did that for a reason.

Cos that would have probably... It might have put me off coming,

that might have.

Or I would have tried to get it changed before I come.

He should have told me, really.

KNOCKING

Come in!

Faye, why are you walking round with your dressing gown on?

I've got my clothes on underneath.

Yes, but still, you can't be walking round with your dressing gown on.

Faye doesn't want her methadone to be reduced so quickly.

What Faye wants to do is start going down by 1ml or 2ml,

and it's just not practical.

It doesn't make sense - it just extends it and extends it.

Erm...

And, you know, by the time they're down to the last 5ml,

you can barely...

you know, you can barely see, it's very little.

So there isn't actually very much methadone still in her system.

KYLE SIGHS

SHE MURMURS

Ohh...

Oh, big boy.

Oh! Careful.

No! Ouchy.

No.

KYLE CHATTERS

You know I'm poorly, don't you?

I've got no energy, I'm aching, I feel sick.

My stomach's killing.

Ohh... It's just like flu, but a million times worse.

And my mental health's not good - I've been crying all morning.

That's how...

That's how my mum went - she went like that, and had a breakdown.

And my mum has got schizophrenia and bipolar, which is hereditary...

..and they won't assess me until I've come off my methadone.

Well, last night, when I was, erm... up and about...

..you know, my head... were thinking all sorts.

KYLE'S TOY PLAYS MUSIC

You know, like me head were talking to me saying,

"Just go, just leave, just go, leave."

She seems to now be hitting this mental block

in terms of convincing herself that the symptoms are potentially worse

than what they are,

convincing herself that she needs to slow it down,

and hanging on to that medication for as long as possible.

You know, I don't doubt that the experience that she's having,

whether that be physical and mental, is very real for her.

However, I've got no doubt in my mind it's a little bit, erm...

fabricated.

-MURMURS:

-Kyle, play nicely, please.

While on detox, residents are not allowed out without supervision.

Micky's entered the second stage of treatment -

learning to live without drugs.

He's now trusted to go out alone.

It's nothing like jail, obviously, but...

when I were on staff escort,

it were like having your mum and dad follow you round everywhere.

And because the house is so busy, you know,

they could only take you out for an hour, or sometimes not even that,

and I felt like I was...

you know what I mean, just locked in all the time.

Ladies first.

Freedom brings temptation.

The wanderer returns!

Micky buys forbidden contraband as a gift for Faye.

You know, you didn't even make a very good job

of trying to get it in, did you?

Shoved under your jacket.

That shows how daft I am, innit?

Well, yeah. I mean, how do you see rules? Do you...

The choice were bad what I made, trying to bring Red Bull in,

but it wasn't for my person, you know what I mean?

And Faye didn't know nowt about it -

I brought it in cos she were weak that night, weak the morning before,

-so I thought it'd give her some energy, innit?

-But even...

I know it was a stupid choice.

Apart from the stupidity of using energy drinks...

Cos... It was my behaviour - if I'd have got that Red Bull in,

what would she have probably said the day after -

"Will you go and get me some gear?" You know what I mean?

And I've reflected on it after, and I understand, and I know that.

OK.

She's got tummy problems, anyway.

Her tummy's swelled up.

And she is...

being sick constantly on and off, for three days, now.

So she's drinking her methadone, spewing it up, having her diaze,

spewing it up.

It just a vicious circle, isn't it?

-Have you been told to move off the landing?

-No.

Not good.

Some toast, yeah?

Just imagine...

..if you was in here on your own, innit?

You wouldn't be able to look after your kid, would you?

And what would happen in that case, innit?

SHE RETCHES

SHE GROANS

SHE SIGHS

KNOCKING

-Hello, Faye?

-Yeah.

Micky's asked me to ask you to come down.

Faye's been in treatment for two months.

She should have detoxed a month ago.

But she's not progressing.

Thank you for everybody that was on time, but group starts at eight.

So, if you're not on time,

there will be sanctions, and things like that.

So it's really important that people are down here for eight.

Evening group starts with parents exchanging notes

to comment on each other's behaviour.

Go on, Faye, you go. Go on.

"To Faye, from Micky.

"For your, mine and Kyle's future, you can do it. I have faith in you.

"Just keep thinking of the life we will have

"after this pain you're going through.

"Love, your number one fan, Micky."

All it is is that she's detoxing.

And we can't really have people here that aren't going to get out of bed.

It just doesn't work.

We're not that sort of place.

So, if she needs medical care, then she needs to think about

going to...somewhere that can take care of that.

Being sick.

I'm not making any progress therapeutically with Faye at all.

She's a bit of a drama queen.

Just think of the life we'll have after, yeah?

Micky and Faye are leading increasingly separate lives.

While Faye's bed-bound in the house,

Micky's doing voluntary work with the rest of the community.

Recovery through nature, they call it, isn't it? RTN.

And we're out in the wilderness.

And...

fresh air, good for your skin.

And just crack on with it.

Makes the day go a bit quicker, splits the weeks up, doesn't it?

And...without robbing, and that, you need to work, don't you?

So, that's the way forward for me.

That's the way forward.

Woohoo! Ha-ha-ha!

-Bribing the governor.

-Bribery will get you everywhere!

LAUGHTER

Micky is now halfway through the six-month programme.

As one of the senior members of the house,

he's been given extra responsibilities.

Every morning, he must check residents are cleaning properly,

and find out how each person feels, so he can report back to staff.

Faye?

How are you feeling today?

Terrible. Leave me alone. Want to go back to sleep.

-Feeling terrible and want to go back to sleep.

-Yeah.

Did you have a bad night?

Yeah.

Right. I'll see you after.

-Good morning.

-Morning!

-You're very fresh today.

-Thank you very much.

Faye - "Feeling terrible, and want to go back to sleep,

"I had a really bad night."

She's feeling it, man.

-She is.

-OK. But she needs to be up, yeah?

I know, I agree, and I've been telling her, "You need to get up."

-It makes it easier.

-It does make it easier. It does.

Yeah, so we need to be encouraging her up and down,

because lying in that bed, you know,

detox will be the least of her worries.

The thing she'll have to worry about is blooming bedsores...

-MICKY CHUCKLES

-..if you don't get up and get moving!

-And the day will go so much slower for her.

-That's right.

And I know, I've stressed this, but you can only say it so many times.

Yeah, so she needs to be up this morning.

-I'll leave that in your capable hands.

-Yeah, I don't mind.

KNOCKING

You decent?

Come on!

No.

This stops here.

This is not a bail hostel - you don't choose to stay in bed all day.

You get up, and you come to the groups.

You're in residential rehab, not...

-Yeah, but...

-..in a bail hostel where you can lay in bed all day.

I'm know. I'm being sick! I've got gastroenteritis!

She told... They said, "You need to rest, you're detoxing.

"You're not sleeping. It is draining you."

-I'm on dehydration things, and everything. I've not...

-That's fine.

-So...

-Faye, you have been in this bedroom for over a week.

You're picking and choosing what bits you want to do,

and I appreciate that you feel a little bit run-down

because of detox, but you are not dying, let me reassure you that.

Just detoxing? I can't even walk!

Well, you're quick to get down them stairs when you need a fag!

I don't... People help me up and down the stairs.

Well, I'll help you down now.

-What, you want me to go like this?

-Get yourself dressed.

If there is any more of you not coming to groups,

then we will be looking at you going to an alternative placement, Faye.

Get up, get ready.

It's now ten past.

-It will take me longer than that...

-Not a chance, Faye!

-Ten minutes. Get ready.

-What, I have to get down the stairs as well?

Yeah - I'll be back up. It's ten past.

I'll be back up at 20 past, and I'll help you down the stairs.

They know that they're playing a game -

they know that they're trying to, you know, kind of get allowances

where allowances shouldn't be due.

That's the kind of behaviour that we're dealing with.

You've got to just keep moving, that's what it is.

The minute you stop is the minute you start to feel ropey and rough.

People are, you know, manipulative, they're demanding, they're needy,

they want instant gratification a lot of the time.

And part of them recovering is about learning

that there is prosocial etiquette.

You can't always have what you want all of the time.

You can't just take all of the time.

You should never, in my eyes,

stop yourself from showing different emotions to your children.

-CROSSTALK

-Because how will...

-How will they learn?

-True.

And it is completely OK to be upset.

And as long as you're explaining it to them...

I think it's healthy to cry, like,

it gets a lot of emotion out, doesn't it?

SHE COUGHS

-You all right, Faye?

-No. I'm freezing.

-MICKY:

-You're doing really well, babe, you're smashing it.

-I'm dead proud of you.

-Proper.

You're on your last stretch, duck, last stretch.

You're giving everybody strength just to see you down here,

and that's for real, that is.

Don't be sick there, duck.

I think... Faye, just leave.

Thank you.

Did I feel any better sat in that room?

Don't shout at me.

No, I didn't.

I'm on your side.

I didn't feel any better at all.

-No...

-I just thought, "Ooh, I've got a virus,

"and everyone else is going to get it now."

Poor people, and I'm sat in front of everyone dead ill.

Well, I'm afraid, sweetheart, you're in here to work the programme.

If you don't work the programme...

-She's threatened to kick me out, anyway.

-Yeah, exactly.

If you don't do the programme, they will do.

And do you want to lose me and Kyle? No, so get on with it.

-Have you seen Micky or Faye?

-Micky's just gone that way, to his bedroom.

If you see him, could you just remind him we've got a key session?

-INTERVIEWER:

-So, what got you into the line of work?

Because I didn't know how to do anything else!

Because I was one of those self-obsessed drug addicts, I guess.

So I did rehab, and then thought...

..I don't actually know how to do anything else,

so maybe this is the field for me.

I understand this a bit.

And don't mind telling service users that I used to be a user.

I don't mind at all, and they really like it.

They feel that I understand.

Erm...

And I think sometimes they expect me to be sympathetic when I'm not.

So I'm struggling a bit as to what the answer is, as well.

If your only way out of feeling bad, is opiate-based medication...

How does that pan out for the rest of your life?

Well, my mum was on opiates, you know?

She lives and all, she works. She's... Do you know what I mean?

We could all be using heroin and look after the kids,

and we don't see a problem with that,

-but obviously, there is a problem with it.

-Mmm.

Do you know what I mean? It's all right saying loads of people do it,

but they shouldn't be.

Be... You know, their life's shit.

Cos they don't know what's going on.

And they're dead to everything.

That's not really what it's about, is it?

Normally, rheumatoid arthritis,

normally people only get it in their legs or their knees.

It's managed by opiates, and opiates aren't allowed in here.

So are you saying that you'd rather be on an opiate painkiller?

Yeah, for my arthritis, yeah.

OK.

So that's going to throw some problems up, isn't it?

And I suppose it's like, you know,

we need to think about Kyle in this, as well.

You've got a lovely little boy growing up there,

and you're dead from the neck up.

-That's not good.

-Well, I'm not... I'm not going to be dead.

And, you know, because Kyle is who he is,

he's going to need a lot of love and attention,

isn't he, through his life?

I give it him.

I don't know, until we speak to the doctor, I don't know, do we?

OK.

I'm thinking more about speaking to your workers tomorrow

to try and get a plan in place, really.

Cos I do feel that they're going to want some answers, really,

or some sort of plan as to what is the best way forward.

And I don't really know what that is.

KNOCKING

-Who is it?

-Hello!

-Ooh, who's this?

-Hello!

-Kyle!

Ten weeks in for Faye,

and Kyle's social worker Steph comes to assess

if funding for her place should continue.

Unless Faye can give up opiates

and start to take part in the therapeutic work,

she may lose her place.

They don't give me any leeway, do they?

I guess it's because you're missing

a big part of what the programme's about,

and they want to make sure...

Well, if I'm being sick, they know that I'm being sick,

and I can't keep nothing down.

-I hate being like this.

-I know - I can't imagine you enjoying it.

You look dreadful. And I don't mean that in...!

-I know, I know I do.

-You don't look very well.

-I know.

Can you have a word with Rhiannon and that,

and say they shouldn't make me go into group like that.

I've not only been detoxing, I've had a sickness bug.

I'm not going to step on anybody's toes,

cos they know what they're doing.

My job is to make sure Kyle's OK,

and it's about the impact you being ill has on him.

You know, that's what... my concern at the minute.

-Right.

-OK.

-I'll pop downstairs, then,

-have a chat with everyone, and then...

-All right, cheers, Steph.

Polly?

She's not really seeing the bigger picture, is she?

It won't be detox that's making her poorly.

If there is an underlying health issue that's not being detected,

which I find quite hard to believe,

considering she's been to hospital two or three times,

she's down at the doctor's pretty much every other day.

Detox will make you feel unwell, a bit of discomfort,

a bit of lack of sleep,

and never does detox make people poorly like this.

-No, I've never seen...

-Never.

-I've never seen it before.

It doesn't.

Would you worry, if Faye leaves,

do you think Micky's strong enough to stay and commit?

-I think he would stay.

-I think he would stay, yeah.

-Yeah, I know.

-I think he'd be heartbroken,

but I think he would choose Kyle over Faye,

which is pretty much what he said, isn't it?

Yeah, Oh, God, absolutely.

And you can see him filling up...

-I know.

-I had to turn away!

-I know.

-So I do think Micky's genuinely...

But there may come a point in the not too distant future

-where he has to make that decision.

-I know, yeah.

And it's not just because of the placement here -

let's take that out of it a little bit -

but really about safeguarding himself and Kyle.

Yeah, and the fact that, actually,

the only thing that they've got in common is...

-is using.

-Yeah.

SHE SIGHS

She's very vulnerable, so I guess there's the risk

that she would go back to her old life.

Erm...

Which is awful, so sad.

And again, puts tremendous pressure on Micky,

because they've been together for such a long time,

so when he leaves, is he strong enough to...

You know, to cut ties, and...

..for his new life?

Poo-poos!

I think I need to start talking to Micky about the future,

and what happens if...erm...

Faye doesn't make it, or he ends up being not in the family unit

that he really wanted to be in, and how he's going to manage that.

He needs to face up to the fact that that may happen.

Not that it will, but it might do, there's a possibility it might do.

Faye and Micky have been summoned to a meeting with the management.

The anticipation's killing me.

Anticipation!

We're going downstairs.

We've just been in the room.

-I ain't got them.

-We're going downstairs to talk about it.

This isn't the appropriate place, in the middle of the foyer.

I've had a conversation, and had word from your funders.

You know that we're in the process of looking at the additional funding

for you to take you up until after Christmas,

which would have been in line with the end of the placement.

-They've not agreed it.

-They've not?

They've not agreed it. So, what that kind of means for you...

-What, for Faye?

-For Faye.

And what that means for you, Faye, is, erm...

..you'll no longer be staying with us at this project.

But the offer on the table for you, and for you to seriously consider,

is for you to move to our adult service.

You're going to take me away from Micky and Kyle?

I'm going home. I'm not going to the adult service.

-I'm going home.

-Why?

-Go up to adult service, do the rest of your programmes, change...

-No!

-You know what I mean?

-No!

Do what they've got to offer, and we can be a family, innit?

If you go back home, Faye, you could score across the road.

-That'll be it.

-I'm going home.

Just repeat back to me what your understanding is

-of the conversation so far.

-That you're kicking me out.

Right, OK.

They're not kicking you out - the... The fund...

The...

-They're not kicking you...

-I'm not going up to the adult service.

No chance.

I hear how difficult this is for you to hear

right at this minute in time, and I appreciate that.

However, nobody is kicking you out,

so let me make that very, very clear to you.

What this is, is about what is going to be best for you, Faye.

-And this is...

-So how long have I got to get my stuff out?

So, we're going to be talking about a week's time.

So, this isn't something that's going to happen immediately,

and the reason for that is the very fact for you to get your head around

things, and for us to start putting an appropriate plan in place

for the transition.

What's the point? There's no point, is there?

-There's no point!

-You're still here.

-No, but I'm not here, though, am I?

Cos I'm not with you and Kyle, so I may as well go home.

I only come in here because you and Kyle was in here.

Yeah, but you... That's it.

Hit the nail on the head, hasn't it?

Faye, you get yourself out for a fag -

I just want to talk to Micky for a second.

Right, I'm going to be honest with you.

You look like you've used, to me.

-Test me, then.

-I am going to, yeah.

You look... Your eyes look slightly pinned.

You look like you've been rubbing your nose and rubbing your face.

You don't look right to me, Micky.

So, this is your opportunity to be honest with us,

because whether we capture you now on some kind of opiate-based test,

or you're evading our test because it isn't an opiate-based,

and it's something like pregab or gabapentin, I'll catch you out.

You mark my words, but I'm telling you now,

you're not right, and you've used something.

So, you either tell me now, or we do it on a long, drawn-out test,

where I go and request a hair strand test.

Ain't got enough hair to do that. Do one if you want one.

Just be honest with us, Micky, so we can help you through this.

Because if you're not, the consequences for this

is massive for you.

It's only going to get worse if you don't,

and I don't mean that in a way of getting worse

because we'll take some action - what I mean is,

it will get worse for you, because you're not talking to us about it.

Because something's happening for you

that you're not talking to us about,

and we can't help you if you don't talk to us, can we?

Talk to us.

It wouldn't have to be today, and all. Yesterday, innit?

Well, yesterday, when I went out, I walked on...do you know Spiderweb?

-In town?

-That homeless bloke in there, isn't he? He was...

-And he had some gear, so I had some wi' him.

-OK.

-Is it gear you've used?

-Mmm.

-That yesterday?

-Yeah.

-Have you had some this morning?

-No.

No?

And how much have you used?

A tenner's worth.

And pin.

-You injected?

-Yeah.

Micky...

-Eh?

-Risks with that is massive.

-Anybody else know?

-No.

Not even Faye.

What I'm going to have to do is test you.

Mm-hm.

Come on, let's...

I think that...

if he has scored, I think he's fetched it

and used it later on last night, or he's done it today.

So, I don't buy his story that he's gone and used,

then this chap just happened to have all the equipment on him.

What, clean pins and a clean spoon?

But we need to break the news to Faye, really.

It might be worth bringing Faye across.

We've had two members of staff in Faye's presence

to go and facilitate the search of the bedroom,

and already we've uncovered a needle, spoon,

and what looks like some kind of paraphernalia

that's, erm... associated with a crack pipe.

-BANGS ON WINDOW

-What the fuck?

Faye, I didn't have it on site. Doesn't matter.

You idiot!

BANGS ON WINDOW

-Doesn't matter.

-Yeah, it does matter!

-Yeah, I didn't have it on site.

-Micky, they found the fucking pin.

You're a lying bastard. You're a lying bastard!

Kyle was in that bedroom!

No!

Come on. Faye.

FAYE SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY

Where's Kyle? No, I'm not.

Come here. Don't.

FAYE SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY

What's going to happen to Kyle?

After such a serious breach of the rules,

Micky is given a week's notice to leave.

He will only be allowed to stay, and to keep Kyle,

if he can demonstrate he can be trusted to have a second chance.

KYLE CRIES

I'm sorry.

Cos I've not seen you all day, and I've missed you.

Have you missed me?

KYLE SCREAMS AND CRIES

I'm sorry.

One more time.

There was something upsetting Kyle that we couldn't figure out.

As it turns out, this happens to be coinciding with Micky's use.

You're pooping, aren't you?

KYLE CHATTERS

You don't know what he's seen and what he hasn't seen,

what he understands, what he doesn't understand,

but a child will be able to read their parent

better than anybody else.

Like, with the simple raise of an eyebrow, or...

you know, the twitch of a smile on someone's face.

You can communicate with a child without needing words.

The behaviour of his dad will have changed significantly,

and if he's experienced that quite a lot in the past,

it wouldn't take Kyle very long to put two and two together,

and perhaps feel a little bit insecure

about what was happening in his environment.

Come on.

-KYLE:

-Quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

I'm really mad.

I'm really mad at you.

I'm mad at myself.

I really am disappointed in myself.

No-one can look after Kyle like I can.

Why on earth didn't you consider that when you were out to use,

-that's what I can't get my head round.

-Cos it's a drug.

-It's powerful.

-It is, Micky, and I know that - I've been there.

-It's just the way it is, isn't it?

-But you've come far enough now...

You should have come far enough now to be able to control those feelings

and those cravings, and know damn well what the consequences are.

I know.

So, where do we go from here, then?

Where do you see yourself going now?

What's the future?

I want to stay here, and...

..just carry on with the programme, open up more,

talk about what's getting at me...

and start again.

That's what I want to do.

So why should your funders continue to invest money in you?

They can or they can't, I'm not bothered. They do what they want.

I've done what I've done, they make their own...

-If they pull your funding, you'll lose Kyle.

-No, I won't.

-You will.

No, I won't - I've been told I won't.

Well, somebody's telling you wrong.

I let them try to see I'm standing with a knife and stabbing me.

Well, that'll help.

I'm not using... Part of addiction, getting better, are relapses.

It isn't, especially in the position you're in.

If you're a single adult, fine, get on with it, nobody's bothered.

But you're not.

-I know.

-And that's the... absolute crucial point.

You're NOT a single adult.

-You've got responsibilities.

-I know.

And you're a grown-up father of a child

that needs even more input than most children.

And you wander off and use?

What if you'd have died in that underpass?

You don't think that's a possibility?

You don't know what the gear's like round here.

You might have got a right... Really good, strong batch.

You've not used for months.

"So, Kyle, what happened to your dad?"

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

I was quite upset.

-We'll leave it there. No doubt we'll pick it up again.

-Mmm.

It gets on my nerves when people think, "Oh, it just happened to me."

It doesn't just happen - you have to put yourself there for it to happen.

You don't trip up and accidentally inject yourself in the groin.

You know, he's made that decision to do that.

A really dangerous decision.

He didn't even have the brains to just smoke it.

He's gone straight back to how he used to use before.

It does make... It makes me really... Really quite angry.

Leave me alone! I've got too many on me head!

Faye is still refusing the offer of a place

at Phoenix's nearby adult-only rehab.

I'm not going up there to people who I used to use with

and I used to deal to.

I may as well go home.

There's people there from my town who I used to use with.

There's somebody up there who I used to be with.

No!

For God's sake, you want me to get rid of people from my past,

but you want me to live with them.

No, what happening is another option is being given to you,

and it's the difference between embracing that, or going home,

and putting yourself in a really vulnerable position.

If I use, I lose Micky and Kyle!

I've got something to fight for.

I'd rather fight for it outside, and get my health problems looked at,

and get medically looked at, and get treated for my pain,

than... than stay in here, and be in pain all the time.

If Faye leaves,

the concern is that she could easily resort to using heroin.

We need to really think about harm reduction.

So, you know what the dangers are, aren't you, around drugs?

Oh, yeah, I'm not stupid.

OK, so how are you going to implement those risks?

Not use.

But what if you DO use?

-What will you do?

-I'll use with somebody else.

And how will you use?

Smoke it.

Will you do that?

-Yeah.

-Promise me.

-I will.

Cos you know you're really susceptible at the moment

to overdose, aren't you?

Yeah, I know.

Seriously, Faye, don't just nod your head at me -

it's really serious.

-Yeah, I know.

-OK. So watch what you're doing.

-If you do decide to use...

-Yeah.

-..that's your prerogative, but...

just make sure you use safely.

-Yeah.

-All right.

-OK.

With her mind made up, Faye has to say goodbye to Kyle.

She's going back home, and will stay with old friends.

-TEARFULLY:

-I were crying when I went.

SHE SOBS

I'm sorry.

You're not going to leave me, are you?

-Eh?

-No.

-I love you.

-I love you, too.

SHE SOBS

-Take care of yourself.

-All right.

I hope she don't use.

-Only time will tell.

-Yeah.

She's going back to that house, dealer's across the road.

Dealer's across the road from our house, well, down the road.

Up the road, sorry.

Dealer's in my house, I want to go home!

THEY LAUGH

And this little baby is the one I love the best.

Micky has been given a reprieve.

He can stay in rehab with Kyle.

And he's been granted an extension to make up for lost time

caused by Faye's illness.

The final stage of treatment involves looking back,

and facing the consequences of past mistakes.

So, what about Kyle?

Before I come in here,

health professionals were saying he's got traits of autism,

and stuff like that, or learning difficulties, and that.

I'm going, "Nah, man, Kyle's Kyle.

"He's the way he is. There's nowt wrong with him."

Cos that's all I had known, innit?

You know.

But I have thought, is the lifestyle we used to lead...

Did that contribute to him being like this?

And after I had my lapse...

..you know, Kyle was up for hours that night.

He must have known that I wasn't myself,

and I couldn't get him back to sleep for hours.

Do you know I could have died that night?

And that's when I realised, what we used to do DID affect him.

It did. I might not have thought it or known it at the minute,

but it did.

Just look at that, what I did, that one lapse.

Cos he's very tuned into his emotions, Kyle is,

and he would have been feeling that I wasn't right,

so that's why he were like that.

And that ain't going to happen again.

# Old MacDonald had a farm

# Ee-ey-ee-ey-oh

# Ee-ey-ee-ey-oh

-Good boy! So clever!

-# Ee-ey-ee-ey-oh

# And on that farm they had some ducks... #

Verbally, Kyle is progressing quite rapidly, it seems.

# Ee-ay-ee-ay-oh! #

We're seeing it in his development every day,

that there's so much positivity coming out of Micky and Kyle.

Buh-buh-boo!

Boo! Whoo-hoo-hoo!

It's just lovely to see them both blossoming,

because they're obviously, like, rubbing off on each other,

and it's just such a lovely bond, and a lovely friendship

that they've got going on. It's...

It's just kind of what you want to see, really, at this point.

Night-night, everybody.

It's Micky and Kyle's last night in the house.

Night-night, my Kyle.

I love you.

Night-night, Igglepiggle.

When I kind of think back to our...

The very first time that I kind of met you,

and had conversations with you...

..it was even touch and go whether you would ever get here

in the first place, and then kind of moving forward...

..I couldn't be prouder and happier to see you sat here today,

leaving here...a man.

A whole man, rather than the broken boy that walked through the door.

I wish you all the happiness, and I really,

really want you to continue the work with us,

because I'd like to see you coming back and sharing your experience,

cos you should be so proud of yourself,

and so pleased with yourself.

Thank you.

APPLAUSE

Kyle's only got me.

Am I going to be enough?

Am I going to live up to the...

job of getting in his world and answering things for him, you know?

It is daunting, cos it's not going to be easy,

but I'm prepared to do it.

So that's what I'm scared about. And, you know, him only having me.

Faye's still on methadone, and that.

I'm going to keep her at arm's length for a bit,

that's what I'm going to do.

And we're separated.

But as long as Kyle's got me and I'm safe, and he's safe,

that's all that matters.

Ready? One, two, three...

Boom-boom!

Micky won't return to his old home,

where he risks being drawn back into his old cycle of addiction.

He's found a place in Sheffield,

where he's decided to start a new life.

It's lovely, Micky, it's a lovely flat.

-You have to start...

-Yeah, it's really nice. It's really nice.

-Thank you.

-Very comfortable, very happy.

Kyle, we'll see you soon.

Make sure Daddy behaves himself, right?

-Right.

-Right, come here.

Thank you so much, Polly.

You stay out of trouble, cos I'll be so angry.

Yeah, I am going to.

-Well done, mate.

-Thank you.

-See you soon.

-You will.

-I feel a bit tearful.

-Oh, Polly!

-SHE LAUGHS

-See you later.

-You will. Thank you!

Love for your kids is so different to any other love that...

..I've ever felt, you know?

And that's quite contradicted, because I love drugs.

I used to love drugs, and I couldn't even stop that for Kyle.

But being took away from that environment, and where I was...

..you know, I could do it.

And getting off it all, my love for my son's even stronger...

..and it's powerful...

..so...

KYLE CHATTERS

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