Other Special Needs Girls, 10+

Yanna is a 13-year-old girl who has shown resilience and adaptability despite a history of neglect and various types of abuse in her early childhood. With the help of therapy, Yanna now demonstrates emotional stability, responsibility, and motivation to continue improving. When reading her full child profile, it is clear that this young lady has put a lot of thought into her past and into her future, including what she hopes for in an adoptive family. Yanna is a clinically healthy young lady, but will need to continue therapy to help her work through her past and to transition into a family.

Academically, Yanna is an excellent eight-grade student. Her teachers describe her as intelligent, punctual, and committed to her studies, showing solid performance and a genuine interest in learning. She enjoys school and maintains positive relationships with her classmates and teachers. Emotionally, Yanna can be reserved at first but gradually builds trust and close relationships with those around her. She can express affection and empathy, especially toward younger children. She is currently receiving psychological support to continue strengthening her emotional regulation and communication skills.

Yanna enjoys listening to music—particularly reggaeton, bachata, and rap, watching movies and tv series, making bracelets, and spending time with her friends. She dreams of completing her education and one day becoming an actress. She understands that her current stay in the institution is temporary and hopes to find a permanent family that will offer her affection, stability, and protection. Yanna has expressed her wish for a family that values communication, patience, and mutual respect, ideally without other children so she can receive focused attention and guidance. She was previously matched with a family for international adoption, but the family and Yanna were not a good fit for each other. She would prefer a family who is relatively young given her previous experience with a potential family. She does not have a preference for whether she has married parents or a single mother.

In summary, Yanna is a bright, affectionate, and reflective adolescent who would thrive in a loving, consistent family environment capable of supporting her emotional growth and providing a sense of belonging and security.

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.

Kaylyn is in severely impaired condition and her development is delayed in all areas. She is completely dependent on adults’ care. Her sleep is calm and rhythmical. She is fed with a spoon by an adult.

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.

Melissa is an extremely loving girl!  She enjoys playing with her dolls.  Although she likes all food, she loves chicken and rice.

Melissa has a diagnosis of Cornelia de Lange syndrome, which causes developmental delays.  She continues to make progress with therapy.

Melissa was previously listed on Reece’s Rainbow as “Lucia.”

Millie, Aaron and Ayana came into care in 2020 due to their parents’ drug usage and failure to adequately care for them. At that time, the children had not been in school, which meant that Aaron and Ayana were academically behind and placed in a grade lower than is age appropriate. However, all three children have done well in school considering their situation.

While there is no plan to separate the children, Millie and Aaron have expressed not wanting to be with their older sister as she mistreats them. The child study for the oldest sister recognizes that she has mistreated then, but also notes that she has made some progress since being in therapy and also since the children have lived in a positive family environment. Continued therapy is needed and is being received. The children have expressed wanting a family with a mother and a father as this is what knew before coming into care, but this is not set in stone.

Evelyn crawls in order to get where she wants to go. She can stand with support and take steps to the side while holding on to something. She has spastic muscle tone. She picks up objects and transfers them from hand to hand. She does not talk. She responds positively to attention from adults.

Bailey accepts physical and verbal contact from others. Bailey likes toys that make noise, and she sometimes smiles at the stimulation of an adult. Bailey will need a family who is able to care for her special needs and provide for her daily care. Agency staff met Bailey in July of 2022. We hope her family sees her soon! Contact the agency to learn more about Bailey and her listed medical needs.

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey001
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey002
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey003
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey004
Password: Adoptmaa

Katrina’s physical development and gross motor skills are age appropriate. She talks, but has some difficulty with articulation. Her fine motor skills are developed, but slightly delayed. She is diagnosed with mental delays. She knows and names the colors. She knows the letters of the alphabet and she has started reading. She already counts up to 30 and she writes some numbers. She knows the days of the week, seasons, left vs right, body parts, and can follow directions using instructions such as over/under, front/back, etc. She plays well with other children and enjoys attention from adults. She likes to work on a magnetic board, kinetic sand and active cards. She already colors in a contour and she is very diligent when connecting lines. She can cut and glue ready elements. She can read and the fact that she is being praised for that makes her very happy.

 

She follows the directions of an adult in relation to the hygiene and household activities. She can dress and undress her. She washes her hands and feeds herself independently, she makes attempts for self-serving. She takes care her belongings. She keeps her materials from school in a certain place.

Lilian is described as happy and communicative girl who is very creative. She interacts positively with adults and other children. She is currently in the fifth grade where she is known to be a good student.

Sonny is a quiet boy though he smiles and babbles to communicate with others. He is a quadriplegic child with cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

The agency can attempt to obtain additional information for interested families.

Joyce LOVES to sing and dance!  Her favorite sing along songs are “Baby Shark”, “Cagabrie Island” and “Jasmine”. Joyce also enjoys riding on a motor scooter because she enjoys looking around at the sights and feeling the wind in her hair!

Those who know Joyce say she has a gentle personality. She likes to act cute and will become lively around familiar people. Joyce has a good relationship with her foster parents and gets excited when their 7 year old grandson visits on the weekend. They get along well and play with each other for hours.

Joyce presents with global delays and has Epilepsy and Thalassemia.  It is suspected she has ADHD.  Joyce attends OT and PT sessions. Joyce attends special education classes at elementary school and an afterschool class. She is making progress with her language skills and can respond to questions with single words.

Are you a family that can support Joyce with growing her language skills? Enjoy singing along to nursery rhymes with her?

Molly May has made progress in her development during recent months. She is able to sit unassisted, get up on her knees and has begun to start trying to move around in a walker. She is becoming more physically active. She makes eye contact, looks around for families adults and smiles when someone looks at her. She will laugh out loud when an adult plays with her. She watches children’s cartoons and movies on the TV and will get excited and point to the screen when the TV is turned on. She picks up toys and attempts to play with them. She still needs instructions in how to appropriately play with toys. She makes vocalizations in an effort to communicate. She eats soft foods from a spoon.

Molly May has undergone multiple surgeries to repair her cleft lip & palate. She is under the continued care of the doctor who is performing these procedures. She is also under the regular care of a neurologist, who diagnosed her with CP in 2018. She had suffered from “constant shaking” resulting in uncontrollable movements up until a few months ago. The social worker reports that this has greatly improved and that Molly May’s movement are now more calm and she also sleeps calmly too. Videos taken in April 2019 show her interacting with toys.

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

Tiana and Tenaya are loving sisters who look forward to a permanent and loving home of their own, with parents who will support them. Tenaya, born October of 2010, is a lovely girl who enjoys spending time with her sister and friends. She is affectionate with those people she feels close to and loves. She tends to be more introverted. Tenaya shows respect to her caretakers and peers. Tiana’s favorite activities include jumping, dancing, singing, and playing with her sister and her friends. She also likes to go for walks and listen to music. She adheres to change without difficulty and accepts the home rules. Tiana, born October 2014, is described as a cheerful and quiet girl. She has good social skills, which allow her to interact with adults and her peers. She likes to participate in active games, especially those that include running. She also likes to play board, such as dominoes, at the local park.

VIDEOS:

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-tenaya

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-tenayatiana

Password: Adoptmaa

There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Tiana and Tenaya’s adoption, with a specific grant agency. Additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

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.

Ariel has been in protective care since she was 3 years old due to her mother’s inability to care for her. She has lived in her current foster home since 2019.

At the time she came into care, Ariel was referred to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy due to her developmental needs in cognition, speech, social skills and fine motor skills. She was subsequently placed in a special school having been diagnosed with mild intellectual disability in November 2021, and she stayed in that school until June 2023. These measures helped her improve significantly, especially in the area of behavioral tendencies such as being fidgety, having outbursts and being jumpy. In fact, when her foster family moved and she started a new school in June 2023, she adjusted well and her teachers now say she is an above-average student, earning As and Bs in all her grades. While Ariel did have significant improvements in all her developmental areas, she still has some delays in each area. Physically, she can do everything she should, but she is slow when it comes to climbing and needs a handrail to go up and down stairs. She can ride a scooter, but at 11 years old, she still cannot ride a bike. She is able to take care of herself, and can write, draw and do crafts, but she does tend to make mistakes in her Chinese writing. She also tends to eat with a fork or spoon as she does not have the dexterity to use chopsticks effectively. She is also a quiet child who communicates in simple sentences and generally only speaks when spoken to, but she is able to express herself and carry conversations. Ariel does have visual diagnoses of amblyopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism for which she wears glasses and must attend follow-up appointments every six months.

While Ariel was suspected of having autism in 2021 and ADHD in 2023, after attending psychiatric appointments the diagnosis of ADHD was dismissed. The agency is inquiring if she was, in fact, diagnosed with autism as the paperwork is not clear on this matter.

Ariel is a quiet and cheerful girl who is well-attached to her foster family and enjoys going on outings with them. She is helpful in class and enjoys assisting her teacher with various tasks. She is introverted and tends to either play by herself with her special doll or other stuffed toys, or when she does play with others, it is usually with the other foster girl in her home. She enjoys watching videos or playing at the park.

Ariel will benefit from a family who can accept and help her with her mild intellectual disability and social skills challenges. Given her gentle temperament and cheerful nature, she would benefit from a warm, nurturing and stimulating environment where she can continue to receive therapy and receive special education.

Information in this report is from February 2024.

Sally and Ria live in a foster home.

Sally is in the fifth grade where she is an average student. She likes to go to school, and she is known for being helpful and kind. However, it is difficult for her to fully understand the different academic contents which often leads her to get easily frustrated and give up. It is important to mention that while living with her biological family, there were many times when she was not enrolled in school which likely contributes to her difficulties. While her favorite subject is language, her language and cognitive development are delayed. Sally has trouble reading and making complete thoughts. She also has trouble with math. She easily forgets new concepts. It has been observed that the child has difficulty following complex instructions. For the most part, Sally manages her frustrations and impulses, but there are moments where she gets overwhelmed with a task or homework. It is hard for her to stay quiet in one place as she is curious of her surroundings and active. She recognizes authority figures and is respectful towards them.

There are no concerns regarding her motor development. Socially, she interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. She is able to give and receive affection, and sometimes she gets jealous when her foster mother pays attention to the other children. Sally gets anxious when she finds herself in a new environment and with unknown people. She is shy when meeting new people and often needs a mediator to help her interact with others. However, once she knows a new child, she enjoys interacting with her peers. She is able to verbally express her feelings and emotions. It is upsetting to her when she is scolded for misbehaving. She also worries that she may be separated from her sister. Sally is still learning to take care of her belongings and requires supervision from her foster mother to keep all her things organized and in a good state. Sally also requires supervision with her hygiene. Sally goes to occupational therapy and has follow-up visits with the psychiatrist.

Sally enjoys playing pretend, especially with her teacher or her sister. She is interested in playing soccer but due to her nutritional state, she had limitations to do sports. Her favorite colors are pink and purple. Sally would like to become a doctor to help anybody in need. She has also stated her desire to have a mom, a dad and another sibling.

Ria is in the third grade. Her academic performance is lower than expected so she receives extra support after school. She loves anything art-related, and her least favorite subject is math. She recognizes authority figures, follows rules and is usually respectful toward adults. Ria gets easily distracted and requires supervision to fulfill her tasks. It is hard for her to stay quiet in one place, and she needs to be reminded of what is expected of her in different locations. Ria had an IQ test, and the results showed a delay in her chronological age. She has trouble memorizing things, is hyperactive and gets easily distracted.

There are no concerns regarding her motor development. Her expressive and comprehensive language development is delayed. Socially, Ria is shy when meeting people and will wait until somebody takes the initiative to start a conversation. Ria gets anxious whenever she is in an unfamiliar place and surrounded by unknown people, and it upsets her when she is approached by unfamiliar people. Ria interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. She seeks to have friends, but sometimes this seeking has caused behavioral problems at school. She does not get jealous when her foster mother pays attention to the other children. Ria used to lie to avoid the consequences of her actions, however this behavior only happens from time to time. Ria is able to verbally express her feelings and emotions, and she manages them at an age-appropriate level. The foster mother needs to constantly remind her to take care of her personal belongings and to improve her hygiene. She gets upset when peers take her belongings without her permission. It is also upsetting to her when her foster mother has to scold her.

Playing with her foster siblings and her sister makes Ria happy. She has great skills in drawing and painting. Ria has stated that she would love to have a mom, dad, and other siblings. She would like to become a doctor, veterinarian, nurse, or teacher.

Nilo resides in a professional foster family. She has a congenital absence of her right forearm. Nilo is educated according to the Individual Study Plans of Students with a lower degree of complexity than the educational minimum for the calendar age, tailored to her individual needs. At a moderate pace, with individual help and guidance from the
teacher, she acquires knowledge, skills and competences foreseen in the individual curriculum for each subject of the individual curriculum. The girl distinguishes between the categories of good and bad, she knows generally accepted rules of behavior in social communication. She defines and expresses own desires and needs in words.

Nilo has diverse interests.

Nilo experiences attachment to children and therapists. She is sad when separated from someone. She seeks contact with adults, classmates and older students and engages in joint activities with them, she participates in role-playing games. She has mastered the social role of a student and classmate. Nilo helps her classmates when she sees that they are having a hard time. The comfort zone is the classroom and Montessori room.

The child communicates verbally, expresses wishes, and is often persistent about them, especially about things that spark her interest. When asked a question, she needs time to think about it and reproduce an answer; she constantly asks questions and seeks approval. The answer is not always adequate to the situation. She doesn’t always
understand the meaning of what was said and the execution of a relevant instruction.

Nilo likes a variety of toys, and she possesses different ones. She can play with other children and is cooperative, she shares her belongings. Nilo has developed self-service skills and readiness for academic work. She has established hygiene habits. She eats independently; dresses and undresses; unfastens and fastens; puts on and takes off shoes; she knows the parts of clothing. She can’t tie shoelaces.

She can say that she is in a foster family and that the foster mother raised her. The girl partially understands that foster care is temporary. She listens and accepts information related to the possibility of being adopted and meets potential adoptive parents, but still, she cannot imagine living in a different place.

This lovely older girl has an ADHD/ learning disability diagnosis.  She could do great with a family to help her with her schoolwork!

Hope is a bright, assertive, and courageous girl with many endearing qualities and undiscovered traits. She is highly active and enjoys a range of sports activities, including running, swimming, and hiking. In her spare time, she loves engaging in craft work like origami. Her recent obsession with Sudoku has highlighted her strong logical thinking skills.

Despite facing challenges such as eczema, ADHD, and ODD, Hope is managing with her prescribed care routine. She thrives better with individual attention and consistent, firm, yet gentle care. She has shown significant improvement since being moved from an orphanage to her current foster home where she is adhering to rules and routines, and slowly learning how to live in a family atmosphere.

Hope was previously approved for adoption overseas. However, due to concerns the family had regarding her psychological/mental health once in-country, they withdrew their petition to adopt. A further report about Hope’s emotional development and readiness for adoption after the previous withdrawal will be ready by September.

Now, Hope is seeking a loving family who can provide the consistent, gentle care she needs to flourish. Hope’s institutional upbringing has shaped her attachment and emotional needs, but with the right support, she has the potential to thrive in a family environment. Given that adoptions from her country take approximately two years to complete, while Hope is entering her pre-teen years now it is important to realize she will be a teenager when adopted.  Interested families need to be willing to learn and be well aware of the challenges of adopting an older child so her family will have the capacity to support her emotional and behavioral needs. It is also recommended that the family be well-equipped with trauma-informed care and understand issues related to delayed adolescence and the impact of long-term institutionalization. This includes understanding family roles, including those of a father and mother, and sibling relationships.

CHI has given this child the pseudo name Hope because we and her social service staff in HK believe that with the right family who understands her past and can provide her with and affection with proper rules and routines, Hope can overcome her difficult past and achieve great things. We look forward to finding a family that can offer her the stability and care she deserves. CHI has past child studies to provide to seriously interested families.

 

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.

Information in this report is from March 2024

Cheyenne, 12, came into care in 2020 when her mother left her with a woman and it became clear that she was not returning. In the child investigation, it was discovered that Cheyenne had been the victim of abuse by both a non-family member when she was young and a minor relative though there is not much information regarding the later situation. Due to being moved around so much and the chaotic environment of the biological family, Cheyenne was not consistently enrolled in school which has affected her cognitive development.  Cheyenne is now enrolled in school, and she is in 4th grade where she is respectful, responsible, and motivated at school. In 2023, she was given an IQ test and scored 63, which led to a diagnosis of mild cognitive delay.  At the age of 11 when the test was performed, it was estimated that she had the cognitive development and maturation of a 7-year-old.  She goes to cognitive therapy to overcome her diagnosis of mild cognitive delay due to the family environment she grew up in.

Cheyenne has adjusted well to her foster family and being in a positive family environment. For example, while she likely did not attend religious services in the past, she enthusiastically attends Catholic services with her foster family and participates in spiritual activities such as praying the rosary with the family. Her foster family has helped her work on her social development, interaction with others, taking responsibility for her actions in a positive way, etc. It is noted that Cheyenne had a habit of lying to avoid negative consequences; however, great improvements were made in this area. While she still gets anxious when confronted about any inappropriate behaviors, Cheyenne is no longer afraid to accept the consequences of her actions. It is upsetting to her when someone lies about her. She is cooperative and strives to be obedient, and she is getting better at managing her emotions, impulses, and frustrations. She gets sad when others positively talk about their biological families, and she just wants to find her forever family. She is afraid of feeling alone.

Cheyenne is very affectionate and sweet. She is friendly and has wonderful skills to be a leader inside and outside her foster home. Cheyenne interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. Cheyenne is quiet and feels good when she finishes the tasks assigned to her. She is independent and fulfills her daily routines on her own.

Cheyenne enjoys participating in recreational or playful activities with her peers. She especially likes riding her bicycle and playing soccer. She also likes to draw and dance. Cheyenne loves to eat spaghetti, rice with chicken, and oatmeal, but she does not like to eat broccoli. Cheyenne has stated that she would love to become a Chef to express her love through food.

Serene is a beautiful girl with a contagious smile, born in June of 2014 with cerebral palsy (spastic quadriplegic) and scoliosis. She is listed as having cognitive delays as well. Serene has regular evaluations with a developmental pediatrician and regular check-ups with her pediatric neurologist, gastro enterologist, and nutrition specialist. She regularly attends physical and occupational therapy once a week and receives continuous home-based therapy by her houseparent, as per instruction from the therapist. Serene smiles when somebody plays or talks with her. She laughs while watching other children play. She cries when wet, in an uncomfortable position, and when she hears thunder. Serene enjoys watching cartoon shows and listening to nursery rhymes. Serene is fully dependent on the care of her houseparent since her development is limited. She can put her head up, but she is unable to sustain it for longer period of time. She can sit up straight but tends to tilt forward. Serene cannot pull herself to sitting. She reaches her hand out to get the block or object, but she might swipe the block off the table. She can hold objects or blocks using her right hand. Serene can open her hands, but her left wrist is flexed. She can raise both hands slowly. She can hold biscuits and slowly puts it in her mouth. Serene can place both feet on the floor and make steps while the houseparent or therapist holds her body, though her legs are crossed. Serene’s care center hopes for her to be placed in a family who will unconditionally love her, despite of her health condition, and one who has enough resources to sustain her therapy and medical needs.

There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Serene’s adoption with the listing adoption agency. Additional agency fees may be available with that agency, based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Serene needs a family with an approved home study to be able to adopt her.

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!

Two sisters in Mexico who have a close bond. They are described as healthy, calm, do well in school, have no behavior issues and have been out of their family’s care since 2019.

The older sister tends to be self conscious and shy when meeting new people or in new environments. The younger sister is described as extroverted and participative and needs some academic support.

Esta, Sophie and Luke are waiting for a family in Latin America.

Esta is an affectionate child who loves dance, judo, art and making bracelets. She has a strong bond with her siblings and relates well with her caregivers and peers. She is clinically healthy with good physical and motor development.

Sophie shows leadership skills even at her young age when playing with others. She also participates in judo, ballet and other workshops. She also likes to participate in tours to exhibits, the cinema and theater. he also exhibits a strong bond with her siblings and is well-adapted at the institution she lives in.

Luke is an active little boy who loves to play ball. He is bonded with his siblings and interacts well with those at the institution.

The children have experienced trauma in their past and will need to continue to receive counseling to help through the transition to an adoptive family and to continue to work through their past. They are doing well though as they receive services in country. Esta received corrective surgery for a cleft palate and Luke has myopia and strabismus for which he receives care. Aside from her trauma care, Sara has no known needs. All of the children follow the Christian faith.

Eleanor is a beautiful young girl who needs a family.

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.

Shay lives in a foster home. She was hospitalized to look for a cause for her seizures and was diagnosed with ataxic cerebral palsy. She is currently taking medication for seizures, but still has 1-2 seizures each month. She is able to walk and has good gross motor skills. Her fine motor skills are delayed. Her speech is delayed. She uses single words or short phrases to communicate. She has difficulty focusing, which makes it difficult for her to learn new skills. She is very active and needs constant supervision.

 

Update 9/2024

Shay lives in a foster family and is very close to her foster mom.  She says a lot of words and sentences, but they are in Turkish.  She is extremely mobile and can run, climb on fitness equipment, go up and down stairs and can jump on one leg.  She enjoys playing with dolls and pretending to cook.  She likes nice clothes and likes to look good.  She does not manifest any aggression and in fact is very loving and sweet.  She is also very curious.   A resource teacher works with Shay at school, and she also visits with a psychologist at the Community Support Center. Unfortunately she lives in a very small town with very few other resources.  She really needs the love, attention and resources that only a family can give.

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.

Melanie is a delightful little girl with a laugh that will brighten any room. She loves to be picked up and spun around, danced with, or held upside down. She enjoys being tickled or playing hide and seek with scarves or blankets. She is extremely bright and could use sufficient speech therapy. She is great at letting you know when something is wrong by calling out or crying. She is working hard to use her hands, as well as her head and mouth to manipulate toys and objects.

Melanie has demonstrated clear attachment to her favorite caretakers. It’s very obvious that a consistent family would help her to thrive most. She recognizes people and is even able to say some names. She gets very excited when people come and very sad when they go. She would bring unending joy to any family!

Josie’s foster mother says she is smart and a quick learner. Josie is usually cheerful and active, however she can be shy and more observant when strangers are around. She has a steady routine throughout each day and sleeps well at night. Josie is not a picky eater and has a good appetite. We hear that she tends to like soup and side dishes the most, but occasionally needs to be reminded of the warm temperatures. Josie particularly likes the outdoors, and always enjoys the slides at the park jungle gym. From the information and stories that we have from Josie’s foster mother, we can tell that Josie is a determined little girl. Josie has been diagnosed with mild CP and developmental delays. After she was placed with her foster family in early 2018, she received 7 early intervention sessions a week (PT, OT, ST) and attended preschool since June 2018 for environmental stimulation. Josie has continued to make progress developmentally. At present, she receives 3 early intervention session a week (PT, OT, ST) at her teacher’s suggestion. She also wears corrective shoes outdoors. Could you be the right family to support Josie as she reaches developmental milestones?

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)

Anna, now 10 years old, entered the Protection Services for the first time when she was a newborn baby as her mother used drugs while pregnant. She lived with her grandmother for a while, but reentered care at 13 months old.

Anna is known for being a happy girl. Anna is not enrolled in school as it has been difficult to find an Institution that can work with her diagnosis and special needs. However, when she was enrolled in school, it was noted that she behaved positively and recognized authority figures. Anna loves to give and receive affection, and she does not get jealous when her foster mother pays attention to other children. Her closest bond is with the 12-year-old daughter of her foster mother. She needs support and supervision to fulfill her daily routines. Anna has a good sleep and eating patterns; however, she very occasionally wets the bed. Anna sometimes throws objects to the floor when she feels frustrated. She can follow simple instructions. Due to her diagnosis, it is hard for her to stay focused on one specific task.

Anna can keep her balance and walk, and she tries to jump but is not fully able to do it. She can run slowly and up the stairs if an adult holds her hand. Her fine motor skills are still developing. Anna is not able to hold scissors, but she can grab pencils and color. She needs help with dressing and hygiene. For the most part, Anna communicates through signs and very short words; it is not hard to understand what she wants. She goes to speech therapy. Anna recognizes familiar faces, and she does not get shy when meeting new people. She can play with younger children or with peers, but she gets upset when other children take her belongings. She recognizes her foster mother as an authority figure. She likes dogs as long as they are away from her, and she gets nervous when pets are near her.

Being told she looks pretty or that she is beautiful makes Anna happy. She loves to have her hair done in pretty styles and enjoys wearing new clothes. She likes to watch children’s movies and videos of people doing exercises. She is very good at swimming. Anna´s favorite foods are spaghetti and chicken with rice. She loves to listen to music and do puzzles.

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.

Emery can move using a walker and can make a few steps with support, too. Specialists are working with her to continue to strengthen her legs and are hopeful that she’ll become more independently mobile. Emery likes listening to music and is able to reproduce some of them. She can say a few words and makes short sentences as well. She receives support and intervention from specialists in the local community. She likes to receive an individual attention. She has emotional bonds with adults. She eats by herself and her sleep is calm.

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.

Siblings Ariel and Gabe, lived with their mother and older brother until they were placed in residential care over five years ago.

The siblings go to school and enjoy time with their friends. They follow routines for eating sleeping and personal care with minimal support. Their vaccinations are up-to-date and they have routine health checks. Ariel has managed psoriasis with the support of medication and therapies, while also enjoying the gifts of dance, music, and social activities. Gabe has had a minor surgical procedure, that he now manages with medications. He has medications and therapy for behavior support.

Academically, Ariel is in her fourth year and Gabe his second year.
Gabe enjoys watching tv, playing games, painting, and caring for animals. He attends a catechism class and church services. He may have behavior outbursts.

Both children are working through the child preparation plan for adoption.

Anne Marie’s life has been marked by many transitions. Anne Marie lived in a family home previously, and then was placed in care of the government due to neglect. Even when the initial transition towards an adoptive family was unsuccessful, Anne Marie returned familiar surroundings with ease.

Anne Marie has a box of keepsakes that is important to her. Her diet is well-balanced, and she manages a minor visual impairment with glasses.

She is a typical teen in many ways — enjoying TikTok, beach outings, cycling adventures, and shared laughter with peers. Her active engagement in Sunday school further enhances her communal ties.

 

Maria (6) is very sociable girl and likes to start conversations with adults. She asks them questions, seeks attention and affection. She has the most skills expected for her age in the areas of language, motor skills, sociability and learning. Maintains a close affective and communication bond with her siblings. Maria was diagnosed in 2020 with local epilepsy of which she is currently under follow-up and treatment with magnesium valproate. She has not presented convulsive events to date. She also presents a diagnosis of intolerance to lactose. She is in the 3rd year of preschool.

Brenda (7) is known for her intelligence and autonomy. She learns easily and despite her young age, has great confidence in her abilities to perform any activity assigned to her. She seeks academic challenges and enjoys increasing her skills and knowledge. She is more selective with others although she is affectionate with her siblings. She likes to play individual games, loves to play to babies, draw, video games and coloring. Her favorite activity is playing soccer with her brother. She reflects a healthy emotional state. Brenda has a suitable academic performance and is in the first grade at a Montessori school. She presents a good state of health and is diagnosed with a history of trauma cranioencephalic without clinical repercussions with a history of violence family (Assessed by neurology with CT and EEG reporting normal).

Marcely (8) is described as in good health. She has favorable development in all areas. She is tender and collaborative with adults, she is also very active, and likes to keep moving, climbing, running, skating or cycling. She loves playing with dolls and coloring. Once her confidence is gained, she enjoys giving lots of hugs. She has built a healthy bond with her siblings which contributes to her self-esteem and feeling of protection. She is in the second grade and has an interest in learning and collaborating with adults. She has improved in her impulsivity control and emotional responses.

Jose (10) is intelligent, kind, friendly and bold and affectionate with adults and their colleagues. He has a protective attitude towards his sisters, shows them affection, but also seeks his own friends and does his activities independently. He has a leadership role with colleagues. He is competitive but also sensitive to needs and emotions of others. Jose shows emotional stability, establishes close and healthy social and emotional ties with peers and adults. His development is corresponding to his chronological age. He presents a state of good health and has a diagnosis of myopia and asthmatic which is being treated. He is in the 4th grade and interacts appropriately with his colleagues and guides.

Vanessa (11) has a calm temperament and has developed self-confidence and loving attitude towards her caregivers and siblings. She is very independent in her routine activities, helps younger children and assumes a role of caregiver. She enjoy activities like reading, coloring, making bracelets and playing with dolls. Vanessa is diagnosed with developmental delay psychomotor and speech disorders, ADHD, learning disorder, disorder secondary cognitive development, disorder specific pronunciation, delay expected physiological development for age and seasonal allergic rhinitis. Despite this, she maintains good health and doesn’t take medicine. She is in 5th grade and has established important emotional ties with her colleagues and friends.

Kinsley is a beautiful little girl who loves to look pretty. She likes to wear red, pink, and yellow dresses. She also loves accessories like hair clips, earrings, and bracelets. She loves to play with dolls and she also likes to play pretend teacher. Kinsley loves cats. She also loves to watch Princess Sofia. Kinsley is active and likes to swim, ride her bike, and play at the park. We hope this little sweet girl will find her forever family soon!

Additional photos available!

VIDEOS  (Password: Adoptmaa)
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-kinsley1
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-kinsley02
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-kinsley03

There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Kinsley’s adoption with a specific agency!

Kinsley is eligible for a $10,000 grant with the LPA, as long as the family joins LPA!

Kinsley needs a family with an approved home study to be able to lock her file or submit a letter of intent to adopt her. A family without a home study can look at her redacted file. If you are interested in reviewing Kinsley’s file or in adopting Kinsley, the agency would be happy to assist you.