Zero the Zeroes

Yara’s spark and tenacity should be an inspiration to us all!

Yara came into protective care after her mother determined she did not have the resources or emotional support network to care for her daughter with complex special needs. She is a brave girl who navigates several neurological and physical health conditions. Yara was born following a normal pregnancy and delivery, but despite this fact, her diagnoses include right-sided spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, a congenital brain malformation, and focal epilepsy. Because of these conditions, she experiences some developmental delays. She also has visual impairments, including strabismus (both convergent and vertical), astigmatism, and amblyopia. Additionally, Yara has an expressive language disorder.

Despite these complex diagnoses, Yara is in excellent nutritional health. She maintains an adequate weight and height for her age. Her vaccination schedule is completely up to date, with her next boosters due when she turns five. She will require ongoing, comprehensive management by medical specialists to ensure her continued rehabilitation and health. 

Yara shows incredible physical determination and a wonderful spirit of resilience. Anyone who hears of her diagnoses will be AMAZED by her gross motor skills. She moves independently from one place to another, runs, and even jumps on one or two feet. She can climb stairs easily, alternating her feet as she goes. Due to her right-sided hemiplegia, she experiences difficulties with fine motor skills in her right hand, particularly with gripping and using a pincer grasp. To help her improve, she currently attends physical and occupational therapy three times a week. Yara has an expressive language disorder, meaning she needs extra patience and support to help her communicate her thoughts and feelings. Her medical history impacts her overall developmental timeline. She benefits greatly from a structured environment and dedicated therapies that help her build daily living skills at her own pace. 

Yara is a child who demonstrates quiet strength every day. Through her intensive physical and occupational therapies, she shows a remarkable willingness to try hard and push through challenges. While she navigates a world that can sometimes be physically and communicatively frustrating, she responds beautifully to patience and gentle guidance. She needs parents who can offer a deeply secure attachment style, providing her with the emotional safety required to process her feelings and build her confidence. With a predictable routine and a supportive home, Yara has the foundation she needs to develop healthy coping mechanisms and emotional regulation. 

Yara is an active girl who loves to use her body to explore the world. Because she enjoys running, jumping, and moving around independently, she will thrive in a home with safe, open spaces to play.

Kevin is 3 years old and he is in his first year of preschool at a public school. His integration into the school system has gone smoothly. He is a cheerful, calm, affectionate, and happy child.

Kevin has a global developmental delay; Prenatal microcephaly (cranial magnetic resonance imaging performed in September 2023);
Strabismus and decreased visual acuity – uses ocular prostheses and alternating occlusion

Genetic testing was performed. The results indicate that the child is heterozygous for the identified variants. This does not confirm, but also does not exclude, a possible diagnosis. Analysis of copy number variation (CNV) coverage data did not detect any large deletions or duplications that could explain the patient’s phenotype. A genetic consultation has been requested and is pending.

Phoebe is a beautiful girl with cerebral palsy. She is aware and responsive to the world around her—she turns toward familiar sounds, smiles when she hears her name, and delights in the voices of people nearby. Phoebe uses a wheelchair and is lovingly assisted by a caretaker for feeding and daily needs. She has a wonderfully smiley spirit and especially loves snuggles and close, affectionate connection. With the right family, Phoebe would thrive surrounded by patience, tenderness, and love.

Dirk and Kaleb are brothers who have been living together in residential care since October 19, 2023.

Their shared experiences have created a strong emotional bond, with Dirk often serving as a protective and guiding figure for Kaleb. Both children benefit from continuity, structure, and the support of a stable environment, which helps mitigate the impact of early family instability.

Dirk, the eldest, is curious, active, and cognitively capable, though he requires support with emotional regulation and school learning. Kaleb is affectionate, gentle, and developing independence, thriving in predictable and nurturing settings.

The siblings are covered by a Judicial Trust Measure with a View to Future Adoption, finalized on 10/30/2025, and joint adoption is considered the best path forward to preserve their relationship, provide emotional security, and ensure a stable future for both.

The ideal family would offer emotional stability, structure, and consistency, supporting Dirk’s and Kaleb’s individual needs while keeping their sibling bond intact—a source of protection, comfort, and belonging for both.

Jaeger is 5 years old and has shown remarkable resilience despite early life challenges. He was referred to the Child and Adolescent Protection Commission in October 2023 after experiencing domestic violence and severe neglect. Until then, he lived with both parents, and from October to December 2023, he was in the sole care of his father. During this time, Jaeger was exposed to significant alcohol and drug use in the household, as well as chronic health challenges of his mother.

In December 2023, Jaeger was placed under a foster care protection measure. In August 2024, he transitioned from a foster family to a foster care center, where he continues to grow in a safe and supportive environment.

Jaeger has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and receives ongoing care from specialists in neuropediatrics, psychology, genetics, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology. He participates in weekly therapies including music therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychomotor therapy. These interventions have led to significant progress, particularly in language development, daily living skills, and emotional growth.

While Jaeger is still developing motor skills appropriate for his age, he can walk, run, climb, and descend stairs. He continues to work on spatial awareness, movement imitation, and spatial orientation. He also experiences challenges with sleep rhythms, which are managed with medication.

Jaeger thrives in structured, predictable environments and benefits from consistent, loving care. His journey shows incredible strength, and he is ready to find a permanent family to support his growth, learning, and emotional development.

This 4 years old boy is ready to light up his forever family’s world!! He has HIV, speech and development delays. He loves dancing, playing, and being around other children.

Rita is friendly, sociable, affectionate, and highly expressive. She communicates through facial expressions, gestures, and pointing, and is very attentive to her surroundings and others’ nonverbal cues. She responds well to sensory stimuli with smiles, vocalizations, and interaction, though she has moderate motor limitation on her right side.

Rita is good-humored, loves physical affection, and bonds easily with caregivers. She interacts well with other children, enjoys play, and imitates what interests her. Having experienced a disrupted adoption, she may carry unexpressed fears, but she continues to seek comfort and show affection, indicating strong potential to thrive in a loving, supportive family.

Sienna is generally very calm, smiles often, and responds quite well to different people. A year ago, she developed a dysfunction of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and the child had to undergo revision and valve implantation. After this procedure, she became calmer and began to be more active, crawling freely on the available surface, and when in her crib, she eagerly pulled herself up to a sitting position.  At the end of last year, she began to use orthoses.

Sienna has a speech delay, although she has recently been eagerly repeating and saying words on her own. Some words are difficult to understand, but progress in speech development is evident. The girl also has difficulty understanding speech, but here too, progress is visible. She understands simple words, especially when they are supported by gestures. The girl can be engaged in a simple form of “dialogue” through play such as sharing toys. She is learning how to draw and eat independently using the spoon. She is able to pick up food cut into smaller pieces and put it in her mouth, although she does so slowly and uncertainly. She has difficulty biting off solid food and chewing it.

Sienna is a very cheerful and smiling child. She is speaking more and more – she can use many basic words, such as “give,” “more,” “come,” “yes,” “no,” “auntie,” and “hello.” She uses them in appropriate situations to express her needs and emotions. She recognizes various animals and can imitate most of their sounds.

Sienna to cuddle and read books. She participates enthusiastically in the group activities and enjoys walks. She responds to smiles, touch, and the voice of her caregivers. The girl has recently made significant progress in her emotional and social development. She is also able to initiate contact – she waves her hands in greeting, says “hello” in her own way, or responds with simple vocalizations. She is able to express her dissatisfaction, joy, or excitement and her progress is getting better and better in many areas.

Galen is a lively and active boy. He lives with a supportive foster family and expresses affection through warm hugs and enthusiastic applause. As a family, they enjoy spending time together on walks to the river, watching movies, and swimming. Galen is especially drawn to bright, colorful toys with auditory features. When he hears music from his favorite genre, he joyfully waves his arms and taps his feet to the rhythm. Galen currently receives physical and occupational therapy services in the home. Galen communicates using nonverbal cues to express himself and indicate his wants and needs. Although he may be shy when first meeting new people, he builds meaningful connections through play, games, and shared toys. Contact Gladney for more information about Galen!

The listing agency has an additional $1000 grant to reduce the adoption fees for Galen, too!

Medical diagnosis of the child: low vision, bilateral amblyopia, astigmatism, hypermetropia, secondary exotropia, and nystagmus (irregular eye movements) with a rotational component, and behavioral disorder.

Information is from September 2024

Summary:  Yessica is a 7-year-old girl who has faced significant instability in her early life. She was abandoned by her biological parents, and then she lived with her grandfather until 2023, when he could not longer care for her needs.

Yessica has specific medical needs, particularly concerning her vision and behavioral health, both of which require consistent management. Yenci has complex visual diagnoses including low vision, bilateral amblyopia, astigmatism, hypermetropia, secondary exotropia, and nystagmus (irregular eye movements) with a rotational component. She underwent surgery for strabismus around April 2024 and currently wears corrective lenses. She has been diagnosed with  behavioral disorder. She takes daily medication for her latter diagnosis. Her weight and height are appropriate for her age. She has received dental treatment for cavities and is in good oral health.

Yessica is currently enrolled in the second grade. She has experienced difficulties with academic performance, including low grades and failing subjects, largely due to challenges with concentration and understanding tasks. She struggles particularly with Language but shows aptitude in math, art, and religion. With increased support at home, her interest in studying is improving. Yessica demonstrates clear language use with coherent content and age-appropriate vocabulary. Her thinking is flexible, allowing her to identify risks and consequences. She is also advancing in reading comprehension. She has adequate fine and gross motor function, showing good coordination and manipulation skills.

Yessica is an affectionate child who is learning to navigate her emotions with professional support. She is currently going to psychiatry and psychology therapy to address behavioral difficulties. She needs support managing frustration and developing assertive responses. She can be impulsive (accelerated behavior), has difficulty staying still, and may struggle with following institutional rules, occasionally displaying rebellious or defiant behavior. Yessica is capable of giving and receiving affection. While she can be jealous with significant figures, she is responsive to dialogue and understands situations after discussion. She has developed skills to express her emotions, needs, and desires more clearly. She can lose motivation easily but is capable of regaining it through encouragement and dialogue.

Yessica has distinct preferences that give insight into her personality and what she hopes for in a family. She enjoys playing with dolls and has a fondness for dresses and shoes. Yessica has expressed a preference for adoption by a nuclear family (mom and dad) or a single-parent maternal family. She is indifferent as to whether the family already has other children. Despite her challenges, she shows a willingness to connect and has a preference for feminine figures, though she is open to a nuclear family structure. A balance of clear, consistent rules with warm affection is crucial to help her feel secure and manage her conduct disorder.

Meet adorable Axton!  Axton has never lived with his biological family and has spent his entire life in hospitals and children’s institutions. His special needs are primarily medical, and his congenital malformations have been successfully treated surgically. Although his neuropsychological and motor development are delayed, Axton is making steady progress.

Axton moves around using a walker and is very active. He sits independently without support. His speech is in the process of development; he pronounces individual sounds and produces a variety of vocalizations.

Axton is cheerful and smiles often. He actively seeks the attention of adults and laughs out loud during playful interactions. He shows good adaptation to new environments and daily routines. Axton is calm and does not display self-aggressive behavior. He independently reaches for toys placed around him, taps them, and explores them with curiosity.

Axton is fed with a spoon by an adult while seated in a high chair. Efforts are being made to teach him to drink liquids from a cup. He falls asleep in a crib, and his sleep is calm.

She has been diagnosed with a rare syndrome characterized by tall stature and congenital facial differences. While these differences may be noticeable, they do not define who she is.

Since being placed in a loving foster family, her story has already begun to change. She has shown accelerated growth, improved neuropsychological development, and her physical development is age-appropriate. She is in good general health and does not require ongoing medical treatment at this time, aside from her speech delay, related to her congenital anomalies.

But here’s the part that matters most: she is making real progress. She forms 3-word sentences, asks questions, uses polite expressions, initiates communication, and loves role-play and interaction. With consistent speech therapy, her potential continues to grow.

Other mixed disorders of behavior and emotions. Disorder in psychological development, unspecified. Moderate cognitive delay, without mention of behavioral disorder

Lexi is a bright-eyed 4-year-old girl with bilateral hearing loss and developmental delays, but these do not diminish her joyful spirit. Lexi communicates in her own unique ways and is curious about the world around her. Lexi will thrive in an environment where she receives consistent, patient attention and where her efforts to communicate are celebrated. She’s looking for a family who will provide a nurturing and stimulating home, eager to support her continued development and help her reach new milestones. With love and encouragement, Lexi has the potential to blossom and bring immense joy to her adoptive family.

Holly is a cheerful, lovely, friendly and cheeky 5-year-old girl who lights up her surroundings as a true superstar. She loves people and her medical staff adores her, often gifting her beautiful clothes. She treasures relationships as she can easily remember faces after just two meetings. Holly is learning to use alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) with the help of a tablet, where she can tap to select people she wants to see (picture available). During the social worker’s child visit, she even used gestures to request adding the worker’s face to her tablet even though it was her first-time meeting her. Despite her many medical needs, this child has shown the ability to learn and engage with her with a variety of engagement types. She is a funny girl who makes people smile with her bright personality. A picture is available of her making funny faces when the social worker was taking her pictures for the child study.

Holly is diagnosed with incomplete DiGeorge syndrome, bilateral vocal cord palsy, oropharyngeal dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), scoliosis, global developmental delay and exotropia. She is on tracheostomy and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding. She has remained hospitalized since birth for her medical needs even though she is medically stable now. To learn more about DiGeorge Syndrome, visit the Mayo Clinic’s syndrome page here: DiGeorge syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome) – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

As mentioned, despite Holly’s significant medical needs, she has made remarkable progress in her development over the past year. She can follow simple instructions, point to familiar objects, and use tools after observing her teacher’s demonstrations. Holly shows interest and joy while learning various play skills and can imitate appropriate play behaviors with prompting and encouragement. She consistently communicates her needs using gestures and she also has great eye contact. Additionally, she can sit independently, take a few steps without assistance, self-propel her wheelchair for short distances, and manage tasks like eating and dressing on her own. She enjoys watching cartoons and listening to music.

Despite having a tracheostomy, Holly does not require ventilator support. However, in the event of tracheostomy dislodgement, there is a risk of hypoxia and immediate tracheostomy reinsertion is necessary. She needs to be accompanied by a trained caregiver at all times. Holly has been assessed as medically fit for home care. The doctor has recommended that Holly requires a well-trained and attentive caregiver who can provide vigilant around-the-clock care, and the caregiver would need to be proficient in special care skills, including managing tracheostomy emergencies.

Holly has made great strides in the past half year and we strongly believe she will continue to make great progress in reaching her potential within a loving and fun family.

Due to the country’s matching process, families with an approved home study for any country are able to request consideration to be Holly’s parents. If matched, the family would then need to quickly update their home study and gather the dossier for the country.

Information in this report is from May 2025

Twins Nelson and Nellie are six years old. They were born to a teenaged mother who was in protective care herself. Given specific familial concerns that will need to be discussed with interested families, the children were placed into foster care together and eventually were deemed in need of an adoptive family. There is no history of abuse with these children.

Nelson is overall healthy and does not have any medical diagnoses nor does he take any medication. However, while his motor development is age-appropriate, he has a mild language delay. Nelson is able to pay attention and communicate with others, but he has an impairment in his ability to pronounce words and complete sentences with difficulty pronouncing “l” sounds especially. He is receiving speech therapy. His profile indicates a learning delay “considering the developmental scale he is currently in” and recommends stimulation, but there is not a specific diagnosis given. He does not show any difficulty processing sensory information. He is receiving occupational therapy and psychiatric follow-up for a “diagnostic impression of Unspecific Conduct Disorder” but he does not have an official diagnosis. He does not react well when given limits and sometimes throws tantrums when he is not able to do something he wants to do. He does not have any social development concerns, though there are time he prefers to play alone while other times he plays and interacts with his peers.

Nelson is an affectionate child who is able express his emotions to others. He is attached to his foster parents and appropriate seeks their attention and approval when completing tasks. He tends to allow his sister to lead him and to be the dominant sibling in the relationship. It saddens him when he cannot play with her or is separated from her (normal daily temporary reasons, not separated with regard to where they live).

Nelson enjoys playing with cars, dinosaurs and balls. He loves going to the park, playing sports—especially soccer—with his classmates, and he is noted to be a skilled painter.

While Nellie also does not currently have any physical/medical diagnoses, she is being evaluated for Autism Spectrum Disorder. A psychiatric evaluation appointment is pending due to testing showing sufficient criteria for a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, but a thorough evaluation is needed to determine a diagnosis. Symptoms noted including persistent language development delay, attention lability, motor restlessness, stereotyped behavior, limited eye contact, and difficulty in understanding directions. A pedagogy evaluation appointment is also scheduled. Nellie displays behavioral concerns, especially with regard to her schoolwork. She is resistant to doing schoolwork (though she is capable to do the work) and to obeying the rules and limits of the classroom. At home, she has resisted doing homework and even has scribbled on her notebooks and thrown them on the floor. At her previous early childhood educational program, she also showed behavioral difficulties and difficulties recognizing authority figures, trouble staying involved in activities and a preference for more open areas of the institution. She cries when she is not allowed to do something she wants to do. However, she is able to play alone or focus on tasks she wants to do such as playing with dolls or dancing.

Nellie’s motor development is age-appropriate. She does not have any difficulty processing sensory information. Like her brother, she is able to communicate but has difficulty with word pronunciation—especially in pronouncing the “l” sound. Socially, she is able to establish relationships with other children and plays with others. Despite her behavioral concerns, she is noted to usually have a good disposition, be cheerful and integrated with her foster family. Her foster family has been given instruction on how to help improve her behavior and there has been progress made.

Nellie is strongly attached to her foster parents and her brother. She is able to give and receive affection with them and sometimes exhibits jealousy when the foster mother shows affection toward other children in the home. She seeks approval from her foster parents and from others with whom she has an emotional bond. Nellie is the more dominant sibling and takes the initiative to ask for things for both herself and her brother.

Nellie finds joy in playing with her dolls and receiving affection from those she is close to. She is an expressive child who engages in caregiving role-play. She likes wearing dresses and having bows in her hair. She enjoys and is good at dancing and singing, and also likes playing with toys, going to the park and watching television.

Meet Sebastian, a delightful and active four-year-old-boy from a Caribbean island who is eagerly awaiting his forever family. Sebastian is a vibrant little explorer who loves to move! He’s remarkably coordinated, climbing stairs, and showing great dexterity as he twists and unscrews things. Sebastian is also a curious learner who enjoys imitating actions and is already showing a keen eye for color, happily sorting objects. He’s growing by leaps and bounds, blossoming into a bright and engaging individual who will bring so much joy to a loving home. Sebastian possesses a wonderful range of emotions, openly expressing his happiness and other feelings, and he’s beginning to form connections with those around him. He is ready to flourish in a supportive and nurturing adoptive family where his unique strengths can shine even brighter. Sebastian has been diagnosed with mild autism.

Bella is a sweet 8-year-old smiley girl who needs a family dedicated to helping her reach her optimal potential. Though she has multiple diagnoses including cerebral palsy, she has made great strides with therapy over time. For example, she has dyskinetic cerebral palsy with dystonia affecting her lower limbs. In 2021, she received Botox injections that gave her great improvement in the use of her legs. Bella receives physical therapy and is currently capable of taking 2-3 steps on her own, but can stand, walk, and go up/down stairs with support.

Bella receives occupational therapy which has helped her be able to scribble with crayons, feed herself, open food containers and snack packages, etc. While she does not speak, she is able to make her needs and wants known through gestures facial expressions, vocalizations, and also through picture cards. She knows a few signs as well such as “thank you.” Due to Bella’s multiple diagnoses, she requires assistance with her daily living activities though she is able to take part in her care.

Bella was born exposed to and addicted to drugs. Following her birth, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy characterized by dyskinesia and spastic quadriplegia, microcephaly, strabismus, global developmental delay, and severe intellectual disability. In 2017, she was also diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

It is clear that Bella has established a bond with her caregivers and she enjoys their presence. She greets her teachers and plays clapping games with them. She is able to pay attention during lessons and has demonstrated the ability to learn. While she will always need a caregiver, it is believed that being in a loving family will help Bella continue to develop and grow in her abilities.  She enjoys playing on a sit-n-spin, swinging or playing on a see-saw. She is drawn to mirrors and toys with lights and/or music.

Lily (6) is also described as friendly and one who likes to help others. She has delays in her fine motor skills, though improving, and her speech development. She is receiving therapy for both. Lily is a hyperactive child who has recently started taking medication and it seems to be helping, especially with her night movements which have included head banging which has significantly decreased. She lives to sing and dance as well as draw.

Pia (5) is described as a friendly, kind-hearted and playful child who expresses her emotions readily. However, while she shares her emotions readily, sometimes she has difficulty controlling her emotions and is in therapy to assist her with this—yet it is reported that temper tantrums are not frequent and she is able to regain emotional regulation quickly. She has age appropriate gross and fine motor skills as well as speech development. She loves to sing and dance.

The girls are listed for adoption together. Their older sister, Winnie, is also available for adoption (but separately).  The agency is hoping to find two families, so the girls can maintain contact.

Her caregiver described her as cheerful and happy girl. She has no issues with trust, open to new people and likes to cuddle. She is curious about her surrounding and asks a lot of questions.

She doesn’t always listen what is said to her and has some difficulties with rules and directions. She can be stubborn and needs help with her emotion’s regulation. She started pre-school in September 2024. She loses an interest quickly and has problems to finish her tasks. She enjoys looking at the books, stalking blocks, working with small objects and clay. She likes music and willingly participates in singing activities.  Her vocabulary increased and she learns how to ride a scooter. She likes walking and playing outside.  She still needs help with her physiological needs. She can dress without help and eats independently.

He lives at the orphanage since 2016. Normal weight and height parameters. Psychomotor development is normal. He is the victim of parental physical abuse and suffers from post-traumatic past. He is under the care of psychiatrist and take medication. No medical diagnoses in his chart, but trauma. You could tell that he is emotionally somewhat fragile.

He is communicative, talkative and charming boy. Positive relationship with peers and adults. His teachers describe him as very good, active and independent student. The computer class, math and English are his favorite subjects. He loves to play soccer, card games and chess. He has a lot of potentials and wants to be adopted. He is highly recommended by his caregivers. The family with an involved, hands-on father will be ideal for this boy. He would do really well as the youngest or only child (or in a family where the other children are grown). He needs an experienced adoptive family who can give him a lot of one-on-one attention and help build his trust in humanity back.

Info is from January 2023; the agency can get updated information when there is a serious inquiry.

Liamo was placed into protective care upon discharge from the hospital when he was born. At the time of his birth, he suffered severe asphyxia. His mother’s pregnancy was unplanned and she had not received any prenatal care. His parents were unable to grasp his medical diagnosis and condition, they were not in the position to care for his medical needs. No one in the biological family was able to care for him either.

Liamo is a child who needs constant supervision. His oxygen levels needed to be always monitored; however, oxygen support has been removed and he seems to have a better mood. He has not had any seizures but does have some spasms during the day. He cannot stay in a seated position. Despite his diagnosis, Liamo loves to receive affection. He communicates through babbling and other sounds. He needs support to fulfill all daily activities. He wakes up very early in the morning and is still not able to sleep throughout the night. Liamo wears diapers all day.

Liamo can kick his legs and with the help of external support equipment he can stay in a seated position for a period of time. His neck control is getting better, as he now can hold his head up for 40 to 50 seconds. He can grab objects with his hands without applying pressure. Liamo goes to occupational, physical, and speech therapy. He gets easily uncomfortable when he needs to wear more clothes, he prefers to wear very light clothes. He turns his head when he hears a strong noise. He takes daily medication. Liamo likes to change positions constantly and likes to participate in activities where there are sounds involved.

Evalina is looking for a forever family. She is a happy and playful child, with good behavior. She does suffer from a variety of developmental delays, specifically in her motor skills and communication skills. Evalina smiles often and likes to be around people.