Every month, MTN News features a child in Montana who is waiting to find their forever family in the “A Waiting Child” program.
This month we go to Billings to meet 16-year-old Rhiannon.
Rhiannon, pronounced Ree-Ann-en, loves animals, spending time with her friends, and reading.
"She’s very loving, caring, she loves animals," said Child Protection Specialist Lacie Salyers. "If you have an animal, her heart melts immediately."
"I love to ride bikes, listen to music," said Rhiannon. "I like swimming. My favorite sports are volleyball and soccer."
"She’s really artistic, she loves to draw, loves to paint, she loves to read," Salyers said. "She’s actually a little bookworm."
With Rhiannon’s past, she hopes to find a family who will love and support her as she grows into adulthood.
"Rhiannon’s had a very, very tough life," said Salyers. "I mean, she’s basically been thrown away at every turn by everyone she knows and she just wants that love, she wants that bond, she wants that family. She craves being in a family that loves her and cares for her."
"I want to find a family that will accept me for who I am and take a chance and see how this whole adoption goes with me," Rhiannon said.
"She’s had a lot of hurt in her life so she has barriers but if you keep persisting through those barriers she’ll realize that you’re not going to leave her and she’ll start breaking down those walls," Salyers said.
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.
