A Family For Every Child
Heart Gallery
541-343-2856
877-343-2856
christy@afamilyforeverychild.org
Christy Obie~Barrett
Executive Director
880 Beltline Road
Springfield, OR 97477
fax 541-343-2866
OUR MISSION:
A Family For Every Child is
dedicated to finding loving,
permanent families for every
waiting foster child.
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Bulletin #13093
Jerry is a very inquisitive and creative nine year old boy, who loves to do all kinds of art projects. He also enjoys most physical activities and playing chess and video games. Most recently, he has begun to enjoy having adults read to him. Jerry has been in foster care five years and has had 12 placements, including his current Therapeutic foster care home. During his first four years of life, and he is working through his confusion and trying to understand what has happened to him, though Play Therapy and his artwork. He has a solid Treatment Team in place (including his Therapist, Psychiatrist, Speech Therapist, Day Treatment Staff and a Mentor) to help him heal from his trauma. His team should be viewed as a great source of information and support to prospective adoptive parents.
Jerry would do best in a 2-parent family and he responds more positively to men than women, so a male couple might be well suited to him. However, what is most important for Jerry is that his prospective parents have some understanding and knowledge of “attachment theory,” as well as grief and loss issues. Jerry needs a committed family, who can remain emotionally neutral when Jerry escalates, and who can provide a calm and nurturing environment, with a consistent, predictable day to day schedule, with clear and firm boundaries. He needs a secure and patient family, who can give Jerry the time he will need to develop trust; a family flexible enough to understand Jerry’s sense of fairness, his feelings of anxiety and his issues around trust. Prospective parents who have knowledge/experience with OIS Training (Positive Parenting) and Collaborative Problem Solving will be viewed favorably.
Most recently, Jerry’s self esteem has improved and he is learning to practice empathy. He now enjoys spending time with his Mentor, and they have gone to church together, which Jerry also enjoys. Jerry has been through considerable trauma, loss and grief, but he still wants very much to be adopted. A safe, secure and permanent family may be the key to help Jerry realize his full potential.
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