11-Year-Old Nathan is Working on His Language Skills [TUESDAY’S CHILD]

When you talk with Nathan's counselors and behavioral specialist at the May Institute, there is no doubt about.  There is a lot of love for this little boy.  Nathan has been at the May since he was three years old.

He loves to smile and give high fives! Nathan loves Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates. He enjoys watching these shows, looking at books with these characters, and having the books read to him. He loves to draw and color and he is a very talented artist. He also loves when adult draws with him. Nathan likes playing with play-doh or putty, and gets excited when adults interact with him with these materials. He also loves blocks and magnaformers and enjoys building with them.

He plays independently on the playground and with yoga balls in school. Nathan is the type of child that does not need much teaching to enjoy play or toys; he is independent with most of the things he likes to do.

Nathan is on the autism spectrum and responds well to a structured setting where he can earn preferred activities such as an incentive for following the routine. He is making great progress at school and is learning to master skill after skill. His personality really shines through and all his teachers report that he's a pleasure to work with.

Nathan is legally free for adoption and will require a family with lots of energy and some experience with children on the spectrum. A two parent family would be preferred due to the level of supervision Nathan requires. If there is a single parent with a large engaged support system and experience with children with special needs, they would be considered as well. As part of the Open Adoption Agreement, Nathan needs to maintain regular sibling visitation therefore a family in Massachusetts or the New England area will be considered.

Who Can Adopt?

If you’re at least 18 years old, have a stable source of income, and room in your heart, you may be a perfect match to adopt a waiting child. Adoptive parents can be single, married, or partnered; experienced or not; renters or homeowners; LGBTQ+ singles and couples. As an adoptive parent, you won’t have to pay any fees, adoption from foster care is completely free in Massachusetts.

The process to adopt a child from foster care includes training, interviews, and home visits to determine if adoption is right for you. These steps will help match you with a child or sibling group that your family will fit well with.

To learn more about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at (617) 964-6273 or visit www.mareinc.org. Start the process today and give a waiting child a permanent place to call home.