Ryan is a country boy who likes farm life, helping out with animals and being outdoors. He loves the "country life" and even wears boots and has a big belt buckle. He is involved in 4H and is learning to ride a horse. He enjoys fishing, camping, drawing and watching movies. In addition to his time outdoors, he also likes to do art and draw "graffiti" style.

Ryan is very charming and conversational. He is a good and companion who interacts well with adults. He likes to help out and truly values individualized time and attention from adults who care.

Ryan also has a good sense of humor - he can be pretty funny! Ryan entered care in 2007 due to neglect and abuse in his family. He had several moves in family foster homes before he was assessed by a residential facilty. Ryan then moved to a treatment foster home where he has stayed for the last year and half and made great progress. He has been able to work on past trauma and his behaviors have regulated.

Ryan has made progress in the last year in his schooling and is now doing half of his school day in mainstream classrooms. He is behind academically but is working hard to learn and grow in his contained classroom. He is well loved by the teachers and staff at the school and has made student of the month twice in the last year.

His caregivers will need to understand how his past trauma impeah his education and ability to learn and his caregiver will need to ensure his educational needs are being met. They will need to advocate for Ryan as he continues in his schooling.

Ryan would like to have contact with his brother and appropriate biological family members in the future. This would be important for him to maintain contact as he will have questions as he is gets older about his biological family and he has expressed that it is critical for him to continue to have the same close relationship with his brother that he has now. Ryan would do best in a family with older or no children and may need supervision with peers to help him with social skills and peer relationships. He has developed much healthier coping skills, but sometimes feels the urge to "parent" younger children. He needs structure and activities to keep him busy and focused on day to day activities. Like many adolescents, he can experience mood swings, and sometimes needs some space in order to balance himself. He does best in a two parent home with strong providers who can give him space when he requires it and are able to provide him with one on one attention on a daily basis.

Ryan would flourish in a family home that is similar to his foster home located in the country with plenty of outdoor activities and space to explore. Ryan will need a family that is prepared to give him the attention he needs to become a successful adult, to honor his connections to his biological sibling and family and be a strong advocate for services and schooling that would benefit him. Ryan craves permanency and is eager to start his life with his adoptive family.