Rachel Goddard worked for Weatherfield Social Services and called round to 1 Coronation Street in November 2008 after receiving a phone call from a desperate Peter Barlow, unable to cope with the prospect of raising his young son Simon alone following the death of his ex-wife Lucy.
Father Ken and step-grandmother Blanche Hunt were both incensed that Peter was prepared to take such drastic action, and the social worker granted the family some time alone to speak candidly. Peter then confided in Rachel about the history of his and Lucy's tempestuous relationship before she engaged Simon in a gentle chat about his mum. Rachel saw that it would be better if Simon could be kept within the family unit.
Peter was adamant that he would be returning to Portsmouth and eventually agreed to Ken's suggestion that he and Deirdre would care for Simon, although Deirdre was away on a trip to Lourdes at the time and knew nothing about the situation. The social worker, seemingly content with the arrangement, advised them she would return in a few days to ensure that the family was coping. However, in a turn of events, Peter had a lucrative meeting with Lucy's solicitor a couple of days later and social service involvement was no longer required.