Richard is a delightful and charming boy with an infectious smile. His caseworker adores this child and describes him as such "a cool kid" and "a wonderful human being." She feels he will be able to go far in life. This fun-loving child is friendly to everyone he meets and always enthusiastic for a big bear hug. Richard's spirit has really come through in the past year and he shows tremendous resiliency. A very active little boy, he likes to be on the move. The busier the better, as far as Richard is concerned. He loves playing any sport and his favorite activity is swimming - he is at home being in the water. Richard does well in school, reading ahead of his peers, although he does have some attention needs met better in a small, less stimulating environment. He loves going to school and misses the routine, his friends, and getting to learn new things. Richard is a very curious boy. He is always up for a new adventure or challenge. His self esteem is growing by leaps and bounds as he discovers new things he can do every day.

When he came to live with his current experienced, loving and gentle foster parents it really made the difference for Richard, emotionally, physically and mentally. His stability has allowed DHS to prepare him well for his biggest transition of all, to adoption. Even so, Richard has had challenges in managing his big feelings about the experiences he has had in his birth home. It is likely Richard will need ongoing services including therapy and social skills training in combination with stubbornly committed parents in order to be successful in an adoptive family.

Richard has done well in school. He is a very strong reader and it appears that he may be taking after his older sister with a love for reading and a high IQ. His grades were average to above average in these past two years. Sometimes he has struggled at school, but only in his social skills, following directions and staying on task. Sometimes, Richard wanted to do his own thing and he challenged school staff when they tried to gain his cooperation. Richard can sometimes be boisterous and somewhat precocious and high energy.

It will be very important for Richard to have ongoing contact with his biological sister.It is so important for Richard to know he is devoutly loved no matter what mood he is in and that he will always be safe. Richard would benefit from the full attention of his adoptive parent(s), so a family who has already raised their children or a childless candidate would be ideal. On the other hand, he has always been placed in foster care with a lot of other children and he has been moderately successful. Richard also likes to be very busy, so a family who is used to being "on the move" would be a great fit for him, although if made too tired, he can make his complaints clearly heard. At the same time, a family is needed who can encourage Richard to be at ease with the quiet, the times when the noise of the day starts rushing in, and who can help him come to peace with his feelings. Richard needs an experienced family with balance. For this family, Richard will truly be a rewarding son to parent.