Vincent Baxter was a children's officer who investigated when Terry Bates ran away from council care. Terry went to Rita Littlewood's flat as she had been the only person to really care for him in his life. She hid the boy from Baxter when he first called, wanting to protect him and possibly foster him. She then asked for Ken Barlow's help but he advised her to give the child up, telling her that Baxter had visited Bessie Street School and dropped hints that the penalty for keeping Terry was six months imprisonment, a £100 or both. Rita then turned to Len Fairclough but he also told her that she had no choice but to alert the authorities. Baxter was called to her flat where they all put on a pretence of Terry having just turned up. Baxter was genial and sympathetic to Terry, saying to the