ANACONDA — Every month, we feature a child in Montana who is waiting to find their forever family as part of the “A Waiting Child” program.
This month we get reacquainted with 14-year-old Amanda.
We first met Amanda in Anaconda last July. She’s now 14 and still loves to be around others and to be a loyal friend.
"I want to be in a family because of, I don’t want to be in group homes anymore," Amanda said.
Amanda’s social worker Dawn Stuber-Daem said Amanda has had a rough road recently.
"For the last couple of months Amanda has been experiencing some big challenges, she’s working on that," Stuber-Daem said. "But having a loving, supportive family would help her work on that, faster."
Amanda knows what she is hoping for in a family.
"A good family looks like kind and friendly and Mom and Dad, two sisters, two brothers, and a cat and a dog," she said.
With Amanda’s nurturing personality, she hopes to help take care of little siblings and help with family pets.
"She’s friendly, outgoing, she cares about people, always asks me about if I have kids that were in her group home," Stuber-Daem said. "She always checks in to see how they are doing. So she does, ya know, have some bonds with the other kids."
"A good family to me is a nice family, a kind family, and doing activities with us," Amanda said.
As the need for more foster parents continues to grow, the wait time for kids to find a suitable place is also increasing.
"I’ve spent whole days looking for a placement for a child while they are in my visitation room hanging out," Stuber-Daem said. "We need more foster, we need more foster parents.
For more information about adoption and/or fostering, contact the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services at 1-866-9-FOSTER. Children who are available for adoption through the Child & Family Services Division of the DPHHS have been removed from their own families because of abuse, neglect, or other family problems that make it unsafe for them to remain at home. The rights of their parents have been terminated making the children available for adoption.
Who May Adopt? Either married couples or single adults who have an approved pre-placement evaluation or adoptive home study may adopt in the State of Montana.
How do I get a home study? If you live in Montana, you may begin the process by contacting your of Child & Family Services. If you live outside of Montana, contact your state or local office that provide these services.
What about training? Montana Child and Family Services require and provide special training to all of our foster and adoptive parents. The training is offered at various times and places around the State of Montana.
Click here to learn more about child adoption in Montana.
