Aging Out Children

Sibling group of 3 in Eastern Europe- Girl born March 2011, Boy born March 2013, and Girl born March 2015

The children live together and have a close relationship. They all want to be adopted together and live in a family.

The 14 year old girl is described as healthy and attends middle school. She is disciplined and attentive during lessons. Her educational results are satisfactory. She needs the help of a social worker for her homework. She willingly participates in various activities, education, summer camps and trips organized by the school. She has friends and does not have any communication difficulties. She attends a class in the choreography department of the art school. She participates in competitions with a dance group. In the family home, she is friendly with all the children living there. She has a particularly close emotional bond with her brother and sister who live together. She is independent, able to take care of her seasonal clothing, and can cook simple meals. She spends her pocket money purposefully; appreciates the personal items she has bought and knows how to save. She takes care of her personal hygiene, cleanliness of clothes and tidiness of her personal room. In her free time, she plays computer games and goes out with friends. She has no behavioral problems and keeps her agreements with the staff. She always expresses her wishes and thoughts to the staff and attends psychological counselling as needed.

The 12 year old boy also attends a middle school and he has good academic results. He has difficulty concentrating during lessons and is therefore receiving medication. He attends a football club and is in his third year of playing football. He is active and enjoys various sporting activities. He always wants to be a leader. He always makes friends easily, expresses his opinion freely and wants to be listened to. He is friendly, cunning, clever, capricious and stubborn. He tries to avoid or circumvent rules in a way that suits him. He always notices his sisters, shows them his attention and is helpful. He is not inclined to give in, he always tries to get his way, to get the rules that suit him. He is willing to communicate with the staff or other professionals working in the family home. In his free time he plays football and computer games.

Diagnoses: Mixed behavioral and emotional disorders, attention deficit disorder, other tic disorders. He sees a child psychiatrist as needed and is prescribed medication.

The 10 year old girl is described as healthy and is in primary school. Her educational results are very good. Her behavior at school is good. She is active in lessons, extracurricular activities and is friendly with her classmates. She has many friends at school and at the ballet studio. She has no difficulties in communication and does not need help. She does her homework responsibly and asks for help from the staff when needed. She attends a ballet studio after school. She enjoys it very much and her results are excellent. She has won 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes. She regularly takes part in various competitions with the ballet dance group. In the summer she participates in camps organized by the ballet studio. In her foster family home, she is friendly with all the children there. She has a particularly close emotional bond with her brother and sister who live together. The girl is helpful, hard-working, able to carry out tasks on her own (in line with her age) and knows how to handle money responsibly. In her spare time, she enjoys going out with her friends, playing on the computer, but most of all she likes dancing and drawing. She has no behavioral problems and keeps her agreements with the staff. She speaks openly with the staff, can express herself freely and is always listened to and understood.

Alan is amazing 10 years old boy who had a rough start with an unstable and unhealthy environment. He is the victim of parental physical abuse and suffers from post-traumatic past

He connects well with both peers and adults. He is calm, helpful and kind. The boy eagerly learns about nature, sings songs, makes interesting art works, uses computer programs well.

He needs a forever home to support him as he continues to overcome negative experiences of his past and shower him with the love every child deserves.

He has a lot of potentials and wants to be adopted. He is highly recommended by his caregivers. The family with an involved, hands-on father will be ideal for this boy. He would do really well as the youngest or only child (or in a family where the other children are grown). He needs an experienced adoptive family who can give him a lot of one-on-one attention and help build his trust in humanity back.

Valeria is a very protective girl.  She loves drawing and doing art projects.  Valeria currently has a feeding tube.

Update in 2025 states that she no longer has a feeding tube, and is doing really well!

Valeria was previously listed on Reece’s Rainbow as Marisol.

Information in this report is from April 2024 (Fera was 13 at the time).

Fera did not attend school until 2021 but has already progressed to the fifth grade! Her academic development has been great. She gets anxious when she has tests at school or when she is asked about her Indigenous community. It bothers her when she is not able to complete homework on her own. Fera recognizes authority figures; she is respectful and obedient toward them, including her teachers. She can stay focused on one specific task and follow simple and complex instructions.

Fera is known to be very responsible. She is an independent girl, who does not require help to fulfill her daily routines; she is a great helper around her foster home. She has good sleep and eating habits. Fera manages her impulses and frustration in accordance with her chronological age. She is usually calm and collected. When situations bother her, she simply moves to a different place and abstains from any interaction. Fera takes good care of her personal belongings and is well organized. She has good hygiene habits.

There are no concerns regarding Fera’s motor, language, cognitive and social development. Fera is currently clinically healthy, she does not take any medication. Due to a tuberculosis episode, she goes from time to time to see the pneumologist. While she is clinically healthy, it is important to realize that all children available for adoption has a history of trauma and likely will need psychological/mental health services once they are home.

Fera is shy by nature—she is quiet and takes her time to feel comfortable and interact with others. She is very selective with her group of friends or people she trusts. She keeps a low profile and does not feel comfortable being the leader of group. She is able to give and receive affection, and she does not get jealous when her foster parents pay attention to the other children. She interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. Seeing homeless children or stray animals wandering on the street makes Fera sad. She is also afraid of the dark and deep waters.

Fera enjoys spending time with her friends, especially when she gets to go to the pool or the river with them. She especially likes going to birthday parties she is invited to at times. She also enjoys simple things like going for a walk. Fera is talented at painting. She says would like to become a veterinarian and take a beauty course to learn how to do different hairstyles.

Lucia and Charles are a very bonded Afro-Latin brother and sister sibling set who live together in the same foster home. They came into care when they were 8 and 2 years old respectively. Before coming into care, one of her older brothers often fulfilled a parental role with them but was abusive in this role. When they first came into care and for a while after, Lucia took the position of maternal figure to Charles and was opposing to the foster mothers which led to changes in foster homes. Over time, however, she settled in and started allowing the foster mother to take over the maternal role. They are doing well at their current foster home.

Lucia

Lucia, 15, is currently in the 8^th grade where she participates in extracurricular activities, including soccer. She has improved in taking responsibility for her schoolwork over years past and has improved in family and interpersonal relationships. Though Lucia will complete her schoolwork, she is not overly interested in on academic subject over the other. However, she is interested in pursuing studies in beauty related fields such as cosmetology or being a beautician. She also likes to cook and is constantly trying to learn and perfect new skills.  Lucia is overall healthy, but will need to continue mental health services to help her work through her past trauma and to transition to a new family.

While Lucia tends to be an independent young lady, she seeks the approval of the adults she trusts to feel safe and confident. Her ability to control her emotions and anxiety has increased and she is learning ways of coping with her anxiety in productive ways. Due to past trauma, Lucia has exhibited a high need for control which contributed to her anxiety, but she has been learning to let go of some control and to allow herself to be in the role she should be in at her age and stage in life. Sadly, it is known that Lucia has been the victim of sexual abuse from at least two perpetrators—one prior to coming into care and one while in care. She self-reported these instances and has received psychological services to help her work through them. Lucia has come to realize that these instances were not her fault and is able to recognize that these instances do not define her. She has not sexually acted out toward others and has not participated in any self-harming behaviors.

As Lucia has continued to work through her past, she is evolving into a responsible and self-aware young lady. Lucia enjoys anything related to makeup and beauty as well as preparing special meals and desserts. When Lucia is happy, it is clearly seen in her face and continence—she literally often jumps for joy.

Charles

Charles, 9, is in the third grade at his new school after the siblings were moved to a new foster home. However, he is supposed to be in the second grade with an individual education plan that had not yet been implemented at the new school as of the time of the report. As a result, his academic performance has been poor this year, but they were supposed to re-implement his plan. Charles has a specialized plan due to a diagnosis of mild mental retardation (F708). Overall, Charles is a very collaborative child with a high sense of belonging who enjoys interactions with his peers. He is motivated by being included in activities and also by being recognized for acts of service. He is able to care for himself independently in an age-appropriate manner.

Charles’ motor skills are age-appropriate, but he does receive occupational therapy and speech therapy. On his IQ testing, he scored 68, but there is a high probability that the score actually falls in the 63-77 range due to some discrepancy between composite indices. More information is available in the child study and available documents. In addition to the diagnosis of mild mental retardation, he was diagnosed in January 2025 with conduct disorder not otherwise specified (F919) and disturbance of activity and attention (F900). He takes daily medication. Charles also wears glasses and had a diagnosis in April 2025 of blepharitis (H010) which is receiving care from the optometrist for.

The change of foster homes has been difficult for Charles, though it was necessary for the protection of the children. Coupled with the change in caregivers and environment is the expected changes in Lucia as she is now older and wants to live the more autonomous life of a teenager that is not filled with being his caregiver as was previously her role. These changes have left Charles feeling lonely and confused. These emotions have affected his behavior, and he sometimes has tantrums or becomes upset easily. It is important to note that Charles has no history of known sexual abuse but was subject as a toddler to the domestic abuse and control from his older brother when he and Lucia were in their birth family.

Charles enjoys going outside, playing football and soccer, going to the park and watching movies. He also enjoys building with blocks.

A male child with age-appropriate physical and neuropsychic development. Attended irregular school, with unlearned elementary school skills and knowledge. With aggressive manifestations upon minor provocations. Intellectual level – borderline low IQ.

Thomas is described as a lovable, active, cheerful and sociable 14-year-old boy who enjoys various sports such as basketball, hiking and cycling. In addition, he also enjoys playing computer games, singing and watching YouTube videos. When he smiles and laughs, a deep dimple can be seen on his right cheek. He shows frequent and appropriate eye contact when interacting with others.  Thomas readily helps out in the classroom at school where he performs well academically and has developed positive relationships with his peers. His involvement in sports has not only helped Thomas to understand the importance of collaboration and cooperation, but also supported him in regulating his body sensations for better emotional regulation and stability.

Thomas has been living in the same foster home since 2012 and has developed close relationships with various members of the foster family. However, he understands that the foster family is only temporary, and he longs for a permanent family to love and care for him. Thomas actually had a family identified for him, but the adoption process was taking a long time and eventually the family decided that caring for a teenager was beyond their capacity. Now Thomas is seeking a loving family who can provide him with stability and guidance while honoring his cultural heritage and connection with past caregivers. As Thomas has grown up with his current foster family and has seen them maintain a relationship with their biological children who are now adults living overseas, he hopes for a family who will allow him to maintain contact with his foster family over social media and he hopes to visit them when he is older.

With committed caregivers by his side, it is believed that Thomas will build meaningful relationships with his adoptive family and thrive to his fullest potential. Thomas has a diagnosis of ADHD, but his medication has improved his ability to sustain attention and reduced his hyperactivity. Thomas shows age-appropriate development and self-care skills and enjoys generally good health. We believe that there is a family out there that can provide the love and stability that Thomas needs and deserves. He
shows so much potential and has consistently expressed a desire for a forever family.

Adrena, who is now 15, came into care with her older sister when it was discovered that she and her sister were being abused in their home. Her sister is now aged-out of the system and while they stayed in touch initially, unfortunately they do not know her current whereabouts. While Adrena is clinically healthy, she has a lot of trauma in her past and will need at least counseling when she joins a new family to help her work through her past and transition into the new family and life.

This report is two years old, from when Adrena was 13; she is now at risk for aging out, as she is 15 years old.
Adrena is starting 9th grade. She is one of the best students of her class. The teachers have stated that Adrena is known for being responsible, respectful, helpful, kind, and always willing to learn new things. She feels comfortable being the leader of a group of peers within the academic environment. She is an independent girl who fulfill her daily routines without any help or supervision. Adrena takes good care of her personal belongings and has great hygiene habits. Whenever a task is difficult for her, she keeps trying and does her best to finish it. She can stay focused on one task and does not like to leave anything unfinished. Adrena recognizes authority figures, and she is respectful and obedient towards them.

There are no concerns regarding Adrena’s motor, language, cognitive and social development. She loves to give and receive affection from people who are emotionally close to her. Adrena gets shy when meeting people, and she usually waits until someone else takes the initiative to start a conversation. It is hard for her to express her feelings and emotions to people she is not familiar with. She interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals, but has stated that she prefers to interact with peers and not so much with younger children. Adrena is able to handle her emotions, frustrations and impulses in an age-appropriate manner. According to the foster mother, she is usually happy, does not get mad easily and is not anxious. Adrena has stated that she is afraid of being placed with her biological father again. When asked what her ideal family would be, she said one with a mom, dad, older sister and a dog of her own.

Adrena loves to spend time outside playing sports, especially soccer and volleyball. She likes to eat out, and while she doesn’t have a favorite food, she likes to try new things. She also likes to paint, do arts and crafts, and listen to hip-hop music. Adrena wants to go to college even though she does not yet have a clear idea of what area/subject she likes the best.

Steven is receiving therapy to help him develop his communication and interpersonal skills. He loves to swim, swing, and play with his special stuffed animals. He loves chicken noodle soup, plantains, and anything sweet.

The adoption agency has more detailed information on this child that they can share with potential families.

Steven was previously listed on Reece’s Rainbow as James.

Maleah is a medically healthy, active, tall and athletic beautiful teen girl!  More than anything she wants to be part of a family, and is open to both a two parent family as well as a single Mom.  Maleah has overcome much hardship and adversity in her past and needs a strong, committed family who is well-versed in trauma.  Maleah adores younger children and would benefit greatly from cousins or younger friends in the community!  Agency staff has met and spent time with Maleah and were immediately struck with the incredible potential this young woman has, if only given the opportunity!  Maleah will turn 16 in October 2025, making her ineligible for international adoption to the US at the time.  Her family must be ready and willing to race to her in time!

This update and new photos were added in October 2022.

Anthony has been waiting for a family for a long time. Despite his Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy he loves to get out of his wheelchair and stretch out on the floor or bed. He is good at moving himself into silly positions, often falling asleep in the funniest ones! Anthony’s favorite toys are those with lights. He loves all colors of lights and often finds them around the room during school. He also enjoys music or being outdoors. Anthony enjoys having people he knows near him, and will often find them and initiate affection with his hand or head.

Anthony has the best smile, but only shows it when he’s truly happy. This might be while he’s being tickled or comforted, during a favorite song, or while feeling the breeze on his face. He has many ways of communicating, such as laughing, crying, and making lots of facial expressions. Anthony is not one to hide how he feels! Anthony would benefit from a family who can care for all his needs, especially as he grows bigger. He’ll bring a sense of love and joy to any household!

Everett resides in a center for children. He is a healthy, good-looking boy who has autism with severe delays in intellectual functioning. He makes sounds but has no speech skills. He shows stereotypical mannerisms of rocking, hand fluttering, and hyperactivity. He plays by himself and does not interact with others. He seldom reacts to his name. Sometimes he self-harms or shows frustration. He does not sustain attention for very long. He needs assistance in feeding, clothing and self-care. He needs close attention. He needs a loving family.

Videos are available.

He lives at the orphanage since 2016. Normal weight and height parameters. Psychomotor development is normal. He is the victim of parental physical abuse and suffers from post-traumatic past. He is under the care of psychiatrist and take medication. No medical diagnoses in his chart, but trauma. You could tell that he is emotionally somewhat fragile.

He is communicative, talkative and charming boy. Positive relationship with peers and adults. His teachers describe him as very good, active and independent student. The computer class, math and English are his favorite subjects. He loves to play soccer, card games and chess. He has a lot of potentials and wants to be adopted. He is highly recommended by his caregivers. The family with an involved, hands-on father will be ideal for this boy. He would do really well as the youngest or only child (or in a family where the other children are grown). He needs an experienced adoptive family who can give him a lot of one-on-one attention and help build his trust in humanity back.

Update: Jan 2023:  Agency reported the boy is will waiting on the list as available for adoption, but neither of his sisters are.   The agency assumption is that she has been adopted.

Update Sept 2022: Agency reported the oldest girl was no longer listed as available for adoption. The younger girl & the boy are still on their country’s list, and listed as available for adoption together or separately.

Original listing for “Andy, Izzy & Kayla”:
Currently, Andy & Kayla are being raised together in a foster home, while Izzy is being raised in a different foster home in the same town. The children see each other often and want to be adopted together so that they can all live in the same home. The foster families do not speak the country’s native language in the home, so the children speak one language while at home and a 2nd language at school.

Andy tested at age appropriate levels on all psychological and emotional testing. He does well in school and does not have any behavioral concerns. He has age appropriate friendships, social skills, communication skills, and self-help skills. He likes to play football and eat French fries. When he grows up, he wants to be a policeman.

Izzy tested at age appropriate levels on all psychological and emotional testing. She does well in school and does not have any behavioral concerns. She has age appropriate friendships, social skills, communication skills, and self-help skills. She enjoys playing outside with her friends. When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher.

Kayla has speech delays that make it difficult to understand what she is saying. She is working with a speech therapist and learning to make the correct sounds so that her words are more easily understood. She is very active and takes medication to control impulsive behaviors and to help her attention span. Her foster mother reports that her behaviors have greatly improved with the addition of medication. She is attending kindergarten and responds well to play based learning.

Ally, now 14, lived with her mother and stepfather in their indigenous community until her parents separated. At that time she went to live with her grandparents who used physical punishment with her. Her mother started a new relationship with a man and they were negligent and abuse toward Ally. At that time, Ally suffered from enuresis (bedwetting), and whenever she would hear the word punishment she would wet herself. She entered into protective care at the age of 7 and her biological mother showed no interest in fulfilling the requirements to regain custody. Ally is now said to be clinically healthy, but as with all children in care, she has suffered trauma from her abusive and difficult past.

Ally is enrolled in school; she is in 8th grade. Her academic performance is good, and her main interest is art—she loves to draw and paint. Her least favorite subject is math. She has a positive relationship with her teachers and classmates. Ally does not get jealous when her caregivers pay attention to other kids, and she is able to give and receive affection. She is an independent girl who fulfills all her daily routines without help. Ally has good sleep and eating habits. She manages her frustration and impulses in accordance with her chronological age. She stays focused and does her best to complete every activity even if it is challenging.

There are no concerns regarding her motor, language, cognitive and social development. She used to go to psychological therapy, but every goal was achieved and she no longer needs this type of support. It is still difficult for Ally to fully express her feelings and emotions verbally, but a great improvement has been shown. At the moment there are no specific triggers that will cause her to feel anxious. In the past, the thought of being reintegrated with her biological family was a cause of anxiousness.

Ally does not get shy when meeting new people but might wait for others to take the initiative to start a conversation. She recognizes authority figures and is respectful and obedient towards them. She interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. Ally has great hygiene habits and takes good care of her belongings.

Ally loves playing sports like basketball, and she is part of her school team. She likes to walk outdoors and is very interested in learning English. Ally is currently clinically healthy and does not take any medication. Ally is very aware of fashion and likes to wear clothes that are aesthetically correct. She likes to listen to K-pop.

Ally will need a family who is motivated to get paperwork done quickly as she is 14.5 years old and in danger of aging out of being able to immigrate to the U.S. While we do not anticipate any problems (we can never guarantee), a family must be committed to completing a home study and dossier in a efficient manner so the process can have time to complete.

Enrique is an active young boy. He enjoys school and earns good grades. Math and art are Enrique’s favorite subjects. He also likes to draw. He loves to eat soup, especially seafood soups. Enrique’s favorite colors are orange and blue. Adoption agency staff met Enrique in October of 2022! Contact the agency to learn more about Enrique and his listed needs.

There is a $2,000 agency fee reduction for Enrique’s adoption via a specific agency; additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Nikki is very social, bright and intelligent girl. She is able to express verbally her emotions, interests, concerns and ideas and she is very well-spoken and has a rich vocabulary. She shared that her favorite subjects at school are physical education and English. She shared that she enjoys being around friends and she has many of them both at school and in her group home. She is not a conflict person and she starts every conversation and interaction with very positive intentions.

She shared that her passion is currently drama performances and classes and she has already some experience playing on stage at the local theaters. Nikki says that if she has to choose she would prefer the stage rather than playing in a movie because she likes to have interaction with the audience. However she has a favorite movie and it's a movie which she admits she watched like hundreds of time – Titanic. She shared that she likes Leonardo Di Caprio and Angelina Jolie as actors.

Nikki seems to be one very sensitive and romantic soul, she enjoys more peaceful activities, she likes the rain and she admits that some movies make her cry. However she does not spare any smiles and she loves to smile and have fun with her friends. Nikki likes the colors black, red and purple, she said that pink is definitely not a favorite color. She said that she is not a picky eater and she likes all kinds of food. She shared that she does not like lamb meat. Nikki enjoys the music of the singer Arianna Grande and she dreams to visit Paris one day.

Nikki's hope is that she will have a family. She was adopted years ago through the national adoption process but her parents seemed to be much older and at the end they saw that they feel much more comfortable without having a child at home, they had a hard time creating emotional bond with her and they disrupted the adoption after four years. Nikki seems to have processed the trauma from that separation and she now realizes that what happened maybe was in her interest as she felt undesired in their home.

Since 2021 she is in the current group home and she is now looking in the future and the possibility to have a new family. She said that it does not bother her if the family is from another country even though she admits she will feel sad for leaving her friends and the people who take care for her now.

When asked about how she is imagining her family, she said that she wants they to be good people and to treat her well. She is ok with both having other siblings or not. Nikki shared that she loves animals ( her favorite is a cat) and she would like her family to like animals too. Nikki believes that you can tell a lot about the people just watching them how they act and interact around animals and that it is always a good person the one who admits that likes animals.

Carrie  and Grace  are sisters who have been in state care since 2019. After their mother passed away, their grandmother cared for the girls for as long as she was able. Now they hope to find a forever family who will welcome them together. Both girls do well in school and enjoy group activities. Carrie says math is one of her favorite subjects, and she hopes to take gymnastics lessons again someday. Grace loves art and is described as a leader. Neither girl has any special needs. They just need a family.

 

Unedited pictures are available from the agency

Maci, Milan, and Marcel are a beautiful sibling group waiting for a loving forever family of their own! These siblings participated in a summer 2023 hosting program and still wait. The in-country team still talks to their host family regularly and knows these kids VERY well!

Additional information & pictures available from the listing agency.

Maci, born in March of 2009, is feminine and gets along very well with girls. She is described as smiley, friendly, a good friend, and empathetic. She is always ready and eager to help others. Maci needs to make everything suitable for everyone. She very much loves her siblings and has a great capacity to give love and care. She can search for help to resolve difficult situations. She loves to look good and likes using make-up and doing her hair. Sometimes learning is challenging for Maci, but her motivation allows her to overcome obstacles and persevere. She always wants to belong to something.

Milan, born in April of 2014, loves animals. She really likes taking care of them and pampering them. Milan is characterized by being playful, tender, empathetic, and loving. She is very close to her siblings and enjoys spending time with them. Her favorite activities are going to the farm, playing in the pool, and coloring. Sometimes it is difficult for her to make decisions. She must be motivated to learn to recognize those things that she likes and that make her feel good. You will always find her joking. To make her laugh, you need to tickle her a little.

Marcel, born in July of 2012, is a sweet, loving, disciplined child, eager to explore his environment and learn something new daily. One of the activities he most enjoys is building new objects and assembling Legos. He really likes learning new languages and about other cultures. Marcel is a very healthy boy. His favorite foods are fruits and salads. It is easy for him to relate and interact with others. He is expressive and friendly and knows how to recognize and express his needs.

There is a $2,000 agency fee reduction for Maci, Milan, and Marcel’s adoption with the listing adoption agency. Additional agency fee reductions may be available with the agency based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Maci, Milan, and Marcel have an additional $5,500 grant through Children Need Families; The adoption agency will allocate this grant. Maci, Milan, and Marcel also qualify for a RODS Heroes grant (RODS Applications are based on financial need)

Hailey is a 13 year old girl in Asia. She is reported to have good overall development with normal physical and motor development. While her vision has been listed as normal as of July 2022, she had some prior surgeries for visual issues and it is suggested she wear glasses due to myopia. 

Hailey is able to communicate easily and freely. She is described as outgoing, expressive and a frank teenager with a kind heart. She loves to share her thoughts and feelings to those around her. She seems to be a sensitive soul as her emotions are quite easy to read on her face and admonishing her in public, she becomes defensive or cries, but when spoken to in private she responds much more positively to constructive criticism. 

In December 2023, Hailey allegedly had a suicide attempt after breaking up with her boyfriend. She was hospitalized for a few days, but was not prescribed any medication. She also was reported to be smoking, which she admitted to as a way of calming her mood, but she has responded very positively to the staff’s positive reinforcement means of handling this situation. 

As with most teenagers these days, Hailey enjoys dancing, making dance videos with classmates, and watching videos on YouTube or  TikTok. She is on the basketball team at school and also enjoys playing volleyball. She expresses admiration of her geography, computer and Chinese history teachers.  Her social worker says “her smiles and laughter are contagious and powerful.” She enjoys the Korean Pop Culture music. 

Due to the process in her country and her age, a family wishing to adopt her will need to work quickly to complete paperwork if the foreign agency in charge of their adoption chooses the family for the child.

She resides with a foster family. She has ataxic cerebral palsy. She walks with slight unsteadiness. She attends a regular school with special education support services. She needs monitoring by a child neurologist and psychiatrist, motor rehabilitation, sessions with a psychologist and speech therapist, as well as special care and supervision by an adult in all social situations. She is friendly and initiates communication and contact with peers and adults, but often misunderstands intent or meaning and takes offense. She can easily be distracted, becoming fixated on an idea or object. Her emotional and social immaturity can put her at risk in social settings. She needs a predictable, safe and secure environment.

Trina just glows with positivity! She likes to participate in the activities carried out in the institution, mainly those related to the creative arts such as painting and dancing, she likes to play with her peers and sometimes acts as a leader in social groups. In the psychological report, they describe the girl as responsible, obedient, dedicated, organized and friendly. Trina has a tendency to withdrawal and mild depression, due to the presence of feelings of insecurity, low self-worth and low self-esteem.

Trina also projects a strong need for belonging, parental protection and a strong desire for firm support, these aspects are explained by her life history and have been worked from different approaches by psychology, overall a calm state of mind is reported.

We know that an adoptive family can greatly help Trina feel valued and loved, and will help her improve in these areas with love, security, acceptance and healing.

Photo available from agency!

Trina has Sickle cell anemia, and she was medicated with folic acid. Sickle cell anemia is one of a group of disorders known as sickle cell disease. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited red blood cell disorder in which there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. While there’s no cure for most people with sickle cell anemia, treatments can relieve pain and help prevent complications associated with the disease. Many people with this condition live very normal lives. Learn more about the illness and living with Sickle Cell by visiting Sickle Cell Speaks.

High altitude risk: The air at high altitudes, such as in an unpressurized airplane or in the mountains at altitudes greater than 5,000 ft (1,524 m), has less oxygen than at sea level. The lack of oxygen can cause cells to sickle which is painful and dangerous for a carrier. For that reason, it is not advisable to place a child for adoption with a family living at higher altitude / mountains.

Jolene has lived with a foster family since 2014. She is very attached to them.

Her fine motor skills are delayed. She has difficulty with writing, cutting and grasping objects. She speaks using single words and short phrases. She mispronounces sounds. She has difficulty making choices and decisions and relies on her foster parents for assistance with tasks. She has difficulty with social boundaries and often tries to hug strangers. She shows interest in other children and observes them, but has difficulty with following instructions or following rules with interacting with other children. She requires assistance with dressing. She can feed herself, but has to be monitored to ensure she doesn’t overeat. She is eager to help with household tasks, but struggles to complete them independently. She assists with cleaning the table, sweeping, and similar tasks.

Meet “A, N & R” – three siblings who are longing for a family where they can grow up loved and together. A is a 12-year-old boy who does well in school and gets along with others. He has vision loss in one eye, but that has not seemed to slow him down! His sister, N, just turned nine years old. She has diagnoses of a mild intellectual delay and minor behavioral issues. N is described as mobile and energetic. She enjoys playing with her classmates and while she may learn more slowly than her peers, she is making continual progress. Their brother, R, just turned ten years old. R likes to color, watch TV, and ride on scooters and bicycles. He has diagnoses of a mild intellectual delay and ADHD as well as a congenital foot deformity for which he has undergone some treatment.

Orson wants a family and is described as healthy. His special need is his age. He is an active, communicative, curious and sincere child. He attends a junior high school, is doing well in his studies and is regarded by his teacher and the school staff as a curious and easy-going child. He enjoys computer science and technology. Orson is interested in world news and current affairs, reads a lot of books, and especially likes and collects The Diary of a Loser. He enjoys playing computer games and is doing very well. He also enjoys construction and jigsaw puzzles – he is meticulous and completes tasks to the end. He plays football. He is self-confident and likes to try new activities. Orson has a warm and strong relationship with his caregivers. He is able to express his opinions, to argue, to negotiate and compromise and is willing to follow agreements or rules if he understands them clearly. Orson is friendly, gets along well with the other children in the family and is not prone to conflict or anger. He is very thrifty – he likes to save and likes to buy things he wants later. He currently has to wear orthopedic soles and glasses. He receives periodic psychiatric counselling and visits a psychologist. He said he didn’t want a family in 2017 but has changed his mind about adoption and a family. Orson wants to live in a family and have siblings. He wants to have parents that love and support their children and don’t yell.

The girls described as healthy and developmentally on track, but with significant trauma history.

Lilly is a girl without any disabilities. She is healthy and does not take any medication. All she needs is kindness, love, support, and security. Lilly is very emotionally connected with her younger sisters. She is helpful around the orphanage and has established friendships with her peers.

Poppy is an 11 year old girl. Her intellectual development is average. Her IQ is estimated to be between 90 and 108. She is very attentive and observant. She is polite in her interactions with others. Her behavior is typically very good. When she misbehaves, she always apologizes. Her trauma has formed the ways that she responds to stress.

Violet is 7, she has high intelligence, with an estimated IQ between 118 and 130. Her motor development is good. She has high social-emotional competence. She does not have impulsive behaviors

Felicity, Kayla, and Yuki are two sisters and a brother in need of a family. They live in a group home for children without disabilities.

Felicity was born in December 2009. The dominant emotions are the positive ones. She demonstrates active social behavior. Sometimes she still demonstrates weaker control of emotions. When frustrated, she reacts with irritation. There is no data for anxiety, depression, or aggression. She is doing well with the maternal language. There are some minimal grammar mistakes. She is able to lead and maintain dialog. She can express sequentially and logically her thoughts and feelings. She is able to express emotions though non-verbal communication. She demonstrates positive self-evaluation. She has the typical characteristics of an extrovert. She enjoys watching TV, drawing, playing computer games as well as playing outside. She is oriented in the behavior of the children and the adults within society. She can attune her behavior towards the requirements of the situation. She participates in games and in the communication of her peers. She is mostly taking the central role. She does not step back from her goals easily. During the school year 2022/2023 she graduated from eighth grade, a class with professional profile. Considering the neglect in her birth family she has some gaps in the knowledge which are expected for her age. At school she works with a resource teacher. She has self-serving skills. She has habits for maintaining personal and environmental hygiene. She has skills to participate in collectively organized household tasks. She wants to be adopted.

Kayla was born in December 2012. She is an emotional child. She does not demonstrate aggression. She is empathic towards the problems of the other kids. She is eager to help her peers if they need it. She is doing well with the maternal language. There are some minimal grammar mistakes. She is able to lead and maintain dialog. She can express sequentially and logically her thoughts and feelings. She can express emotions though non-verbal communication. She is building a positive self-evaluation. She has the typical for her age curiosity and she demonstrates characteristics of an extrovert. She enjoys watching cartoons, drawing, playing board games and computer games as well as playing outside. She is oriented in the behavior of the children and the adults within society. She can attune her behavior towards the requirements of the situation. She is adjusting well in the group of her peers. She participates with big interest in all organized games and events. She can step back from her own goals and actions in line with those of her peers. She can wait for her turn to come. Considering the neglect in her birth family she has some gaps in the knowledge which are expected for her age. She is able to read and write under dictation. She makes minimal mistakes. She is well oriented into her school. During the school year 2022/2023 she graduated from fourth grade. She has self-serving skills. She has habits for maintaining personal and environmental hygiene. She wants to be adopted.

Yuki was born in February 2011. In December 2012, Yuki was a victim in a road accident and suffered a right lower leg fracture. Considering the changes that happened in his life, the adjustment process into the residential facility and in school went with some challenges. In November 2022 he was consulted with pediatric psychiatrist who put the diagnosis for “Other mixed behavior and emotional disorders”. His condition is being followed and therapy may be prescribed as well as work with psychologist. Now he is calm, he is acting with respect towards peers and adults. He observes the rules. With desire he performs all the given tasks in school and in the residential center. The speech and the language skills are well-developed. He was raised in a bilingual environment where d both Bulgarian and Turkish language. He can lead and maintain dialog and he provides enough verbal information. During conversation he communicates freely, he enters contact easily. He is able to express emotions though non-verbal communication. He demonstrates positive self-evaluation. He has the typical characteristics of an extrovert. He enjoys playing on the computer, playing soccer and going for walks outside. With desire he participates in the group activities. He performs the tasks according to his abilities. He likes being praised and to feel helpful, to be in the center of the attention. He is oriented in the behavior of the children and the adults within the society. He can adjust to new conditions. When disappointed he reacts emotionally. He participates in the games of his peers. Not always able to adjust his goals and actions around those of his partners in the game and he may react emotionally and enters into conflict. He finds challenges accepting the failures. During the school year 2022/2023 he graduated from sixth grade, a class with a profile in boxing. He works with a resource teacher there, After the incident he had he has been educating remotely. He is doing well and within the timeframe. He has self-serving skills. He has hygiene habits, but he needs to be reminded. He participates with desire in the activities related to maintaining environmental hygiene. He wants to be adopted.

There is a grant of 7800 euros toward foreign fees (with the agency) and this specific adoption agency will assist with applying for more.

The brothers have been in foster care for many years now and they are such great kids. They want to have a family and to be together as brothers. Next year, because the older one will become 14 in the summer, they will have to move to another town because of his school. There are no options for foster families there and they will have to go to an institution. The social worker is very hopeful this won’t need to happen and that they will be adopted instead.

IRIO – He is social and communicative. He easily makes new friends. In most cases his relationships with the children and the adults are good. According to the foster parents, he communicates well with the children and the adults. They describe him as a well-mannered child, who can assess different situations and adjust his behavior with them. He is aware that there are many social roles in society, which warrant a certain behavior. He participates adequately in the games of his peers. He can follow the instructions and the rules. He prefers games with physical activity, but he can participate in some role plays, too, and symbolic games (he gets into the role of a policeman or a criminal). He seeks the attention of the other children. He enjoys drawing, riding his bicycle, and games with a ball and other sport games. He only likes to be alone if he is using the computer. He fits in well among his peers.

HAMILTON – The boy is calm, observant, and curious about the surrounding world. He is attached to his brother, who is placed in the same foster family. Together they take care of each other, communicate, and play. He talks about his biological family calmly and talks about how they used to live. He did not like the conditions in his home then. He is attached to the foster family, their children, and their grandchild. It is hard for him to accept the pain of others and is always ready to help. When in conflict situations he defends his opinion, he is stubborn. He follows the rules at home and at school. He sometimes presents himself with stubbornness, but he does not argue and is not aggressive. He has an idea of good and bad, and for punishment and justice. He shares his experiences with the foster family and respects them. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, listening to music, and dancing.

Rose was removed from an abusive home at 9 years old and could not even speak the language of her birth country at that time. She now speaks in sentences, understands everything that is said to her and has made rapid developmental progress. During the visit with our team member, she was talking about the Mom and Dad that she’s waiting for and having a fun time posing for all the photos (see below). She currently lives with an older foster couple, who she calls grandma and grandpa. They have worked with her to teach her many self-help skills. She’s now in school and doing well working with a resource teacher.

Damian has Down syndrome, and is an affectionate and loving young boy. He feels close to his caretakers and loves sharing with them. He loves to give hugs.

There is a $1,500 agency fee reduction for Damian’s adoption with a specific adoption agency.

Ronnie

The girl does not cause any educational problems either at school or in the orphanage. She is very diligent and obligatory.  She is happy, independent and caring girl who likes to help with younger children. She is willing to cooperate, she likes meetings with a psychologist and needs time to adapt to a new environment.

She rides a bike, roller-skates, swims, participates in sports and dance activities. Physical activity gives her joy. She has a great artistic talent, but does not believe in herself.  She likes to travel and is very curious about life and surroundings, constantly asking questions.

Mary

SN – Moderate intellectual disability, speech disorder

Mary is a very cheerful child. Despite speech disorders, she easily communicates with caregivers or peers. She likes to play with younger children. She carries them in a cart or leads them by the hand. She started learning to roller-skates, likes swimming in the pool, sports and dance activities. She goes to a special school. She doesn’t make any behavior problems. She doesn’t read books on her own, but she likes to see the pictures.

The sisters wish to be adopted together and hope to find a forever family!

 

Picture of Ronnie coming soon!

Updated 2022:  When he was 11 months old, Brogan was abused and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He has weakness on the left side of his body as a result. His gross and fine motor skills are slightly uncoordinated. He walks, runs, and navigates stairs independently. He’s worked extensively on fine motor skills and can now write and draw more purposefully. He can talk, though he has some expressive language delays, particularly with articulation. He can answer basic questions. He will use pointing and gestures as needed to communicate. He is becoming more confident with his speech and expressing his thoughts and opinions verbally.  He is very empathetic and helps care for younger children. He has a great desire to learn and will ask a lot of questions in order to gather information on a topic of interest. He tries very hard to learn new skills, but is aware of his delays. As a result, he prefers to play and interact with younger children. He has numerous self-help skills and is learning to perform all the household activities and tasks in the foster home where he currently lives.

Original posting from 2017:  Brogan is amiable, friendly, at times is too enthusiastic. He cooperates with others; participates in group activities; He shows that he is proud with his achievements; often searches for the approval of the adults and insist to make things independently. He likes role games and pretend games. Brogan easily memorizes and reproduces what he learned and his attention is more sustainable and focused. Because of that he is secure in his expressions and does undertake initiative in the learning process. He likes to impose his opinion in the game and to be a leading figure, but agrees with the opinion of the others as well. He willingly communicates with the others, without too much physical closeness, and seeks approval of his foster parent. His understanding corresponds to his age and environment. He is able to lead a dialogue with others and is empathetic towards others. When communicating with others he uses non-verbal methods as gestures and mimics for better communication. He has some vocabulary is working on that. He knows his first name and his age. He understands and uses the specifications for emotional states, features of the character, for himself and others as well. He loves to listen to tales or stories, expresses interest towards the pictures in the books. He can tell overall if he likes certain story or not. He has established perception of his body structure. He has developed feeling of good and evil. He has developed a sense of justice. He is more patient. He has vast desire to explore the world around him and is constantly asking questions until he receives a satisfactory answer. He demonstrates care for the others and his foster parent.

He loves to play with car toys, constructors, to listen to music and dance. He enjoys independent and group games with peers. He had surgery at 11 months old for inter-cranial trauma. He shows mild to moderate delays and occasional seizures if ill or upset.

Update Sept 2022: Luna is a beautiful girl who is blind. She has made a lot of gains since coming into care! She now knows how to read and write in Braille and has a very good academic performance. She walks with a cane to school, which is very close to home. She studies in the morning and she attends swimming classes in the afternoon. She really wants to be the first woman president in her home country. We hope that Luna will be adopted by a wonderful forever family with the right resources to help her continue to make gains and to help make her dreams of being a politician come true!

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-lynette
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-lynette2
Password: Adoptmaa

A specific agency has a $1000 grant for her adoption fees.

The girl has a congenital defect of the nervous system in the form of a meningeal hernia at the lumbosacral level, a bifurcation of the thoracic spine with hydrocephalus and paralysis of the lower limbs. The girl has a valve in her head that regulates the blood flow in the head and prevents the increase in intracranial pressure. She also has a neurogenic bladder – she needs to drink fluids regularly and change the catheter every 3 hours. She has a visual impairment, wears glasses: ER: +3.5, EL: +4. and uses a wheelchair.

Despite her disabilities, the girl is very active. She is very happy to work during rehabilitation, thanks to which she is willing to participate in social life and has accepted her disabilities. She is attending wheelchair dance classes. The girl functions very well on a daily basis and is independent.  She likes to play with younger children and often organizes games for them.

Rocky is a calm, pleasant  boy who lives in a group home in Eastern Europe. He is attached to his caregivers and responds well to them.

Although Rocky was born premature and with low birth weight; cerebral palsy; and speech, motor and cognitive delays, he is making good progress in his physical therapy and other supports. He can walk with minimal support, and his fine motor skills are also improving.

An echo-cardiogram and electrocardiogram performed showed ebstein anomaly (Horner Syndrome), moderated apical interventricular communication. He doesn’t require surgical treatment based on electrocardiogram results; he requires biannual follow up with both echo-cardiogram and electrocardiogram. It is possible that as an adult he will probably require tricuspid valve replacement.  Pablo doesn’t show signs of recent or past of physical abuse.

Gabi is physically healthy with normal physical development. She is radiant and very active.

Gabi responds adequately to praise and punishment. Gabi establishes and maintains eye contact. She seeks the attention of the people around and she seeks familiar people and their closeness purposefully.

Gabi understands the meaning of words that are often used in her surroundings. She expresses her needs and wishes through vocalization.

In her spare time Gabi likes watching TV, playing on a phone, listening to music and going out for walks.

Gary is currently living in a group home for children with special needs. He can move around the group home in a gait trainer. Due to his low tone, he can not sit or stand independently. He can roll from back to stomach. He can hold a toy and will manipulate it, though he does not always understand the purpose of the toy. He enjoys interacting with adults and will smile and demonstrate appropriate emotions when engaged in activities.

Malory is a beautiful, giggly girl who lives with a foster family in Eastern Europe. With a contagious smile and laughter, Malory runs, climbs and could be described as an active child. She enjoys the extra attention she receives from her foster parents. She is physically healthy, and she eats well. Her weight and height are catching up with the standards for her age.

Malory has some developmental delays that her caregivers attribute to early neglect and lack of stimulation. She has difficulty pronouncing some words, and her learning is below the norm for her age. Malory understands everything her elders say. She cannot talk yet, but she can pronounce separate words and sounds. She knows her name and the people’s names living around her. She plays with the other kids from the group, and she prefers more dynamic games.

Malory gets one-on-one instruction in each subject, participating in different programs – therapeutic, musical and rehabilitation. She is much calmer then she was before, and she respects the authority of the foster family.

Additional videos are available from her agency.

Vassilio can hold objects in both hands and his vocabulary consists of about 10-15 words. He understands verbal instructions and follows them. Vassilio likes to listen to music, dance and watch puppet shows. He likes to communicate with adults and children and likes to be hugged and touched. Vassilio can put small bites of food in his mouth and can drink out of a cup. He cannot dress or undress himself. The agency has additional information and photos.

Brendan is an adorable little boy. He was born prematurely with a generalized systemic immaturity. He spent his first four months in an incubator, where he was diagnosed with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and Hydrocephalus caused by Periventricular Leukomalacia. Due to prolonged incubation, he currently has vocal chord paralysis. He has delays in his gross and fine motor skills according to his age; however, he is able to search with his eyes for visual and aural stimuli, can open and look at his hands, and is able to hold objects in his hands. He is usually active, awake and aware of his surroundings, and with therapy will be able to continue to develop gross and fine motor skills.

This sweet boy deserves a loving family who can provide him with care and support as he continues to grow and progress.