c7260

Child's name: Jamal
Number: C7260
Birthdate: 7/96
State: Washington
Listed: February 2009

Scroll down to view Jamal's Wednesday's Child video

Photographs by Yuen Lui

If you have completed an adoption homestudy and would like to have your information forwarded to this child's worker, contact us.

JAMAL (7/96) is doing very well in his new foster home and at school. A handsome, personable boy of African American heritage, he has expressive brown eyes, an engaging smile, and a quiet, thoughtful demeanor. Jamal’s worker says that he is very spiritual and wants to be in a Christian home where parent(s) and children are actively involved in church and church youth activities. In his seventh grade mainstream classroom, Jamal is doing well academically. He especially excels in his writing enrichment class and has good verbal skills. His teacher reports that Jamal knows how to us his time well, although he sometimes seeks attention by being disruptive and acting the clown. Jamal has friends at school and is making friends in his new neighborhood. When he gets home from school, the first thing he does is to seek out his same-age foster brother to hang out with and talk to. Next fall, Jamal intends to try out for football. Of course, he enjoys playing video games and watching movies and TV. Because Jamal has had little opportunity in the past to participate in the social and sports opportunities that many boys his age take for granted, he is eager to participate in different social activities and sports at school and in the community.

Jamal, who is legally free, came into foster care most recently in July 2007. Jamal will be counting on his adoptive folk(s) to help him have contact with his birth siblings as he is growing up.

With therapeutic supports in place to help him, Jamal is working on dealing with symptoms of past trauma, feelings of grief and loss, and issues related to attention difficulties and high energy.

Being willing to participate with Jamal in family counseling during his transition into his new home would be a meaningful way for his adoptive parent(s) to demonstrate their commitment and love for him. It could also underscore for him that they are very open to using therapeutic supports to help family members grow emotionally and make behavioral changes. Jamal wants to have a family that will claim him as their own.

Jamal will likely do best with folk(s) who are calm, patient, and nurturing, and who model those traits. A structured home, with clear consistent rules, realistic expectations, and limits will help Jamal feel safe. Having parent(s) who will also help him develop good problem solving skills and who will help him feel he has some control in his live by providing him with limited choices will be keys to Jamal moving forward in his life. Jamal has been successful with a single parent and with two parents. Of course, it will be essential for his adoptive folk(s) to take pride in his heritage and see that he has regular opportunities to be connected to the African American community.

Subsidy and Purchase of Service may be available.

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