Lovable and funny, 8-year-old Deaundre comes across as shy when you first meet him. After he warms up, though, you’ll see how much he enjoys spending time with people and engaging in conversation. Give him some one-on-one attention, and you’ve made a friend.
For fun, he likes to play video games and ride his bike outside. In school, he struggles with math and reading, but he responds well to his private tutor who visits his home a couple times a week. Deaundre says it helps him concentrate on his work better.
In the home, his foster mother says Deaundre behaves lovingly to others. He also tries hard to please caregivers, responding best to positive reinforcement. With negative reinforcement, he tends to shut down.
Due to his trauma history, Deaundre needs attention, structure, and space to process his feelings. He would do best in a home in which he is the only child or at least the youngest. Either a one or two-parent home would work for him. Most importantly, he needs adoptive parents who understand trauma and are willing to provide him with the advocacy, support, and unconditional love he needs to grow and heal.
