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Patrick
California

Basic Info

Patrick

Age: 78
Sex:
Race/Ethnicity:
Religion:

Child Preferences

Age: 12 to 15 years old
Sex: Female
Max Number of Children: 1
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian, Hispanic

Special Needs the Family is Open To: Asthma, Drug Allergies, Environmental Allergies, Food Allergies, Poor Social Skills, Physical Therapy, Academically behind due to poor attendance, Has Behavior Problems in School, Mild Learning Disabilities, Suspension(s), One/Both Parents Diagnosed with Depression, One/Both Parents Diagnosed with Schizophrenia, One/Both Parents Have Alcohol Addiction, One/Both Parents Have Drug Addiction, One/Both Parents Diagnosed with Bipolar, Exposed to Domestic Violence, Child has had a disrupted adoption, Multiple Placements, Residential Treatment History, ADHD, Arthritis, Adjustment Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Depression, Requires Medication For Psychiatric Condition/Mental Health Diagnosis, Requires Counseling/Therapy, Willing to Maintain Contact via Mail with Bio Family, Willing to Maintain Contact with Past Foster Parents, Willing to Maintain Contact with Bio Grandparents & Other Relatives, Willing to Maintain Contact with Bio Siblings

Environment

State: California
Neighborhood: Country/Rural
Residency: Single Family Home
Children in the Home: 2
Pet(s): Dog(s), cat(s)

Work

Patrick

Occupation: retired teacher

Adoption Agency

Agency: Kern Bridges Youth Homes
Worker: Carrie Wombacher
Worker: carrie@kernbridges.com
City: Bakersfield
State: California
Zip: 93309

Preference Description

I would like a child that is able to bond and connect with me and ultimately with others like their peers. I would like the child to be able to grow emotionally, intellectually, and educationally. I would expect some mild or moderate disabilities.

The Kennedy- Family Profile

I would like to adopt a child between the ages of 12 and 15 inclusive. I am open to a girl or a sibling group of one girl and one boy. I feel I can accommodate a sibling group of up to 2 kids. I prefer to adopt a child of Caucasian or Hispanic ethnic background. I am open to children with many, many special needs. I do not mind having contact with the child\'s biological parents (by phone or by mail or in person ) provided the parent was/is not abusive to the child. I do not mind having continuing contact with the child\'s former foster parents, by email or by phone or by mail or in person . In general, I would like a child that is able to bond and connect with me and ultimately with others like their peers. I would like the child to be able to grow emotionally, intellectually, and educationally. I would expect some mild or moderate disabilities.

Introduction

My name is Patrick Kennedy . I am currently 69 years old. I have 2 kids living with me. The children's names are Josiah and Macalah and they are 15 year old twins. Like me,the children have a caucasian ethnic background. We like to watch and participate in different types of sports, watch and go to movies, go out to eat, participate in church activities and outdoor activities, and go shopping. We also have fun with our animals. I am a stay-at-home parent and have a flexible work schedule. I consider myself a Christian believer and attend church and bible studies on a weekly basis. I believe God has an active role in our daily lives and I live and interact with others according to this belief as best I can.

I follow both the LA Dodgers and Angels baseball, LA Kings hockey, and UCLA and Notre Dame college sports teams. I like TV dramas like Chicago Fire, Reign, and Gotham. I like many types of movies: dramas, comedies, adventure and science fiction like Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, The Fault in Our Stars, Mom's Day Out. As far as music, I like country-folk and oldies music. I do maintenance jobs around the house and property and various do-it-yourself projects as they come up. I like to watch sports and movies on television. I take care of the animals (3 cats, 1 dog) in the home. I help the two children living here with their homework and projects and we spend time together watching TV or outside activities.

Home and Community

We live in the State of California. Our home is a single family home. We live in a Country/Rural neighborhood. We are good friends with our neighbors. We have one or more dogs and one or more cats .

We play games at home, share and discuss relevant and appropriate television programs, go to movies and sporting events, go shopping for needed items and for fun, go to amusement parks and fairs, participate in outdoor activities like hiking, riding ATVs, fishing and picnics. We have extracurricular school activities, sports programs, dance studios, drama programs, art classes, and summer camps. We have one elementary school grades k - 5, one school grades k- 8, one middle school grades 6 - 8 and one high school; all of which are fully accredited and offer a wide range of sports and extracurricular activities.

Parenting Experience

I have not had children of my own but have two children (age fifteen) who have lived with me for over five years and I have had a lot of responsibility for them . I worked with children as teacher and coach for over 30 years and have encountered many situations needing my involvement and judgement concerning their welfare I feel I have strong moral and spiritual values and I feel I can convey them to others especially children. We are involved in church and community activities and are supportive of other's needs. I have the time and resources to devote to the needs of a child. I have had experiences with many different types of children in my years of teaching and coaching. I feel I can rely on my family and friends for support and advice when needed. My classes and training have shown me I can rely on my social adoptions worker for support and, along with other agencies, to find the necessary resources as the need comes up. I have attended monthly group in-services which address various topics related to adoption issues. I completed the book: The Whole Life Adoption Book - Realistic Advice for Building a Healthy Adoptive Family by Schooler and Atwood. I completed the Water Safety Education for Parents and Caregivers course and took the county's "Foster PRIDE Advanced and Specialized Training - Teens in Care: Supporting Attachments" course. I took trainings associated with obtaining my fost/adopt certificate. I am currently coaching the girl's volleyball team at my local high school. These are girls 14 to 15 years of age. Some of them go to my church and have become close friends with Macalah who is living with me. They often have sleepovers with her and I am able to spend time with them. Sometimes I take them all to movies or out to eat or both and to the local fair . We go hiking, ride ATVs and enjoy music and such. I have made it possible for some of them to go to a Christian camp for teenagers which they all benefitted from greatly. As you can guess I have become close with their parents and am honored to share their trust as well as that of the girls. These are some of the activities which I feel would be of interest to a girl of this age.

Support

I have family who are supportive . My friends are available for support and advice. My church group is very supportive and available to its members.

Motivation to Adopt

While teaching and coaching children I realized there was only so much I could do for them when they encountered difficulties. I wanted the type of commitment that only a full-time parent could provide. I would like to share the events of growing up with a child, both the good and the bad and offer support and love to that child. I now have the time and economic resources to take on that task. I am available full time to devote to their needs and invovements.