c7501

Child's name: John
Number: C7501
Birthdate: 11/95
State: Washington
Listed: August 2009, Updated 10/09

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

JOHN (11/95) continues to grow by leaps and bounds. While John says that school is “ok,” he loves math and science and has dreams of becoming a scientist. He says he wants to go to college and has given thought to how he can achieve that goal. His thinking is that by joining the military he would be able to not only get educational benefits, but also have his daily living needs met. John already has a bit of a military mind set in that he likes to keep his things in order and prefers a home where things are pretty well organized. John has developed a good relationship with his foster dad with whom he has lived for the past year. John often enjoys helping with projects around the house, he willingly does chores, and he likes to cook. Skateboarding, biking, and roller skating are some of John’s favorite pastimes. He loves to swim but in an indoor pool. There’s a YMCA nearby where he can swim, work out, and use the treadmill. John also has fun assembling model cars and planes. Some of the things John would like to do in the future are learn to hunt, go paint-balling, ride dirt bikes and ATV’s, and learn to play the trombone. John’s musical tastes run mostly to country with some jazz and a little bit of rap, rock, and R&B. He also enjoys playing video and computer games with parental approval.

John has made tremendous progress, especially over the last few years, with the support of individual, family, and group counseling. A significant gain has been the healthy relationship that he has been able to build with his sister. With on-going therapeutic supports, John continues to work diligently on lessening his symptoms of past trauma.

Since coming into foster care in July 2004, special focus has been on helping John develop healthy boundaries and personal safety skills. John has good insights into his own issues and accepts the high level of parental supervision that has helped him to move forward. Another positive sign of John’s growth and progress is the solid relationships he has built with his previous counselor and with his current counselor.

In school, John continues to benefit and make progress with academic supports in reading and comprehension.

John, who is somewhat shy, often needs to pause briefly while talking to give himself time to get his thoughts together. Some people, especially those who do not know him, misunderstand and think that he doesn’t want to talk. John is actually a good communicator, his foster dad says, when given the time to get his thoughts out.

John’s worker especially wants to hear from mom-and-dad and two-mom couples. Being willing to participate with John in family counseling during the adoption transition would be a wonderful way for his new parents to show their love and commitment to him. It would also demonstrate that they value using such resources to help family members talk about past hurts and make behavioral changes. Of course, it is essential that his adoptive family being willing to participate with him in his treatment program and work closely with his counselor and with John in developing an appropriate safety plan. A psychological evaluation is scheduled this fall, which should give prospective adoptive families a good sense of John’s strengths and needs.

Subsidy and Purchase of Service may be available.

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