Vol. 18, No. 2 • May 2014

Help Us Find Families for These Children

For more information on these children or adoption in general, call the
NC Kids Adoption and Foster Care Network at 1-877-NCKIDS-1, www.adoptnckids.org.

Danielle (age 12) Danielle is a loving child who bonds with caregivers. She responds well to one-on-one nurturing and enjoys playing games, swinging, coloring, and collecting stuffed animals. Danielle is in a specialized education setting and is well liked by her teachers. She's close with her younger brother and sister, who were recently placed in a pre-adoptive home. Continued contact with her siblings is very important to Danielle. Due to the attention she requires, it would be best if Danielle were the only or youngest child in her forever family. She will do best with a family that is patient, has appropriate expectations, easily gives affection, and is willing to continue sibling contact.
Karston (age 8) Karston is a beautiful little boy who is energetic, happy, curious and very intelligent. Karston likes balloons, bubbles, cause and effect toys that vibrate, Matchbox cars, and putting items in a box and dumping them out. He loves macaroni and cheese and French fries. Karston has autism and was born with congenital deafness and no functional hearing; hence he is non-verbal but is able to communicate with movements, gestures, pictures, and limited sign language. He has met all of his gross motor developmental stages and has already mastered many self-help skills. He can play independently and has a good attention span. He loves to play outside on a playground, visit parks, and experience new places. Karston lives and goes to school at the same center. There he is working on completing tasks in a work station. He is learning to use his communication board, gestures, and signs, and to stay in one place and work left to right. He is not currently identifying any letters of the alphabet or pre-reading skills. He does enjoy looking at pictures in books. He is able to make marks on paper with crayons or a pencil, but is not demonstrating any writing skills. He continues to make progress with shapes, patterns, games, and independent play. Karston responds well to caregivers who are patient, set limits, and give praise and rewards. Consistent routines and schedules are important. A family who is familiar with sign language or willing to learn would be ideal for Karston. Karston's forever family also needs to understand that he will need lifelong assistance and care. A family open to contact and visits with his maternal grandmother would be a plus.
LaDuffy (age 6) LaDuffy is a very active and playful child. He is affectionate and expressive. Though he struggles with verbal communication, he tends to understand instruction very well. LaDuffy has a great smile and is a sweet boy. This young man enjoys time outside, kicking balls, and running. However, close supervision is extremely important at all times--LaDuffy will take off from his caregivers very quickly when outside. LaDuffy has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum – Severe. He will start the new school year on regular schedule; this may be adapted to a modified schedule if needed. At school LaDuffy has an Individualized Education Plan which addresses some areas he needs to make progress in. Items on his IEP include: match common objects to pictures and identify or label colors, numbers, or letters. He is beginning to use toys functionally, but he still needs adult support to do this. LaDuffy will benefit from a stable, structured home environment. He will need unconditional love and support throughout his life. LaDuffy responds well to firm direction, such as being told "no" when he gets too excited. LaDuffy would benefit from having other children in the home. He needs a strong male for one-on-one support and guidance.
Rashie (age 14) An active young man, Rahshie is outgoing, energetic, smart, and sometimes outspoken. He enjoys playing basketball and video games, going to movies, and reading comic books. His favorite types of music are pop and rap. His favorite foods are hot dogs and fried chicken. Rahshie enjoys school, where his favorite subjects are science and math. He wants to go to college. When he grows up he'd like to be an entrepreneur and own his own business selling shoes and clothing. He has started to study entrepreneurship to prepare himself, including reading a book about the topic. Rahshie does best in a home where he is the only child. He thrives on love, nurturing, and stability. He needs a family where there are rules and consequences, structure, and positive reinforcement. Also, Rahshie needs a strong male figure who can display the actions needed to become a successful man. His forever family should be open to continuing contact with his siblings.
Troy (age 14), Lela (age 12), and Caitlin (age 13) Troy is polite, funny, charming, and often goofy. He likes to be complimented and to be the center of attention. Troy describes himself as athletic, adventurous and outgoing. He is protective of his younger sisters. He loves to swim and play football and basketball. He loves trying new things. "The Longest Yard" is his favorite movie. His favorite subject in school is math; he'd like to be a professional football player when he grows up. Lela (she goes by "MacKenzie") is more quiet than her siblings, but not shy. Polite and even-tempered, she describes herself as pretty, kind, and athletic. She gets along well with others. MacKenzie enjoys cheerleading, volleyball and swimming. Her favorite movie is "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Like her brother and sister, her favorite subject in school is math. She would like to be a lawyer when she grows up. Well-mannered and happy, Caitlin likes to be treated with respect and spoken to calmly. She likes to stand out as an individual, but to be a part of the group at the same time. She gets along well with her peers. Pretty and determined, Caitlin loves cheerleading, volleyball, and swimming. Her favorite subject in school is math; she'd like to be a social worker or hairstylist when she grows up. Troy, MacKenzie, and Caitlin understand and are prepared for their plan of adoption. They will benefit from a family that supports their participation in the activities they enjoy. Troy would like a family that communicates without yelling. They have recently resumed contact with their birth mother, so they would like a forever family that supports ongoing phone contact with her to the extent possible.

For more information on these children or adoption in general, call the
NC Kids Adoption and Foster Care Network at 1-877-NCKIDS-1, www.adoptnckids.org.