Our Children

Update 01/09/2015
Ariel had a mild cough in this period and his foster family provided adequate care. He is calm and loves bathing. He manages to keep his head up during tummy time. He’s able to trace an object and keeps his eyes on familiar faces. He’s responsive to loud sounds.

Update 01/10/2015
Ariel is up to date with all necessary vaccinations. He is calm and has good nights sleep. There are no signs of a delayed neuro psychological development

Update 01/12/2015
Ariel is taking Vigantol as prescribed by a GP against rickets. He smiles at foster parents when they speak to him. He focuses his eyes on bright and shiny objects. The mother has finally signed a declaration withdrawing from parental rights and the adoption documents are being prepared to enroll the child in the adoption register.

Update 01/02/2016
Ariel is gaining weight very well and currently weighs 6.5kg. He responds to his foster parents’ speech and is actively turning his head towards familiar faces. He is calm and plays with toys for good periods of the day. He can also recognise the close family circle members and interacts with them. The adoption register documents were submitted and awaiting approval.

Update 01/10/2015
Nora prefers to feed facing down as this is how she was fed whilst in the care home. She had conjunctivitis but after a prescribed treatment she is already healthy. A scan showed that she had an opening in her cerebellum which could affect her psychological development but a second scan showed that it had closed. She continues to gain weight, focuses on a speaking person and tries to attract attention on herself. She sleeps tight during the night, focuses her attention on immobile objects and can trace moving ones with her eyes and head. She is included in the Adoption register and there is a family showing interest in her.

Update 01/11/2015
Nora has made great progress with her weight gaining 1050gr over a month only. She is following a personalised vaccination schedule. She can recognise her foster mother’s voice. Nora plays with the towel after bathing and the bottle during feeds; she reacts differently to various sounds trying to find their source. The scheduled meeting with the adoption candidates has not happened yet as they refused to meet the child.

Update 01/12/2015
The foster family has started to wean Nora with baby purees and she enjoys it very much. She had her first one of ten vaccinations for premature babies. She smiles and goos at people speaking to her. Nora places her hands in her mouth and plays with toys which have been placed close to her body.

Update 01/02/2016
Nora was adopted.

Update 01/04/2015
Currently, Melisa is healthy. Her global motor skills are within norm. She has good movement abilities and coordination. She attends dancing classes with her sister. Melisa has a positive emotional tonus, being cheerful and spontaneous in her reactions. She has some problems regulating negative emotions. She gets into conflict with her sister sometimes. She has not yet developed adequate conflict resolution skills. She sometimes resorts to verbal and physical aggression against her sister. The arguments between them are usually about their belongings. Melisa’s fine motor skills are well-developed for her age. She plays skilfully with play-dough. She draws very well for her age. She performs excellently in arts and crafts class. Melisa can recognise and name the main geometric shapes. Her linguistic awareness, related to understanding special relationships, are within norm. She has good comprehension of qualitative and quantitative interactions. Her concentration span is well-developed. Her memory capacity is average for her age. Melisa’s logical thinking, as well as her analytic skills, are well-developed for her age. She can perform basic logical tasks such as comparison, analysis and synthesis, as well as practical visual-action thinking. She demonstrates rich imagination when drawing or using play-dough materials. She has original ideas and is creative. The non-verbal component of her intelligence tests points at good visual-motor coordination, special awareness and heuristic skills.

Update 01/06/2015
Recently Melisa and her sister met with a prospective adoptive family. Despite Melisa’s initial resistance against being adopted and her refusal to meet the candidate adoptive family, she eventually consented to becoming acquainted with them. Introductory meetings took place in the course of a whole week, during which Melisa grew fond of the family and stated that she would like to be adopted by them. At present, they meet through skype every week, and share with one another their daily experiences. Melisa is looking forward to moving to Italy and often asks when this would take place. Melisa finished her third school year with an average grade of “C”. She attending Italian lessons during the summer holiday. She is learning new words quickly. She makes bracelets and other hand-made jewellery for the members of her foster family.

Update 01/07/2015
Melisa is now adopted in Italy. Best of luck, dear!

Update 01/04/2015
Currently, the child is healthy. She suffers sometimes from acute respiratory disease. All required immunisations have been made. Ellen’s gross motor development is within the norm. Motor skills such as running, climbing, kicking and throwing are well-developed. The child has good motor and coordination abilities. From the beginning of November, she has been attending dancing classes. Ellen has a positive emotional tonus. She is usually settled, and does not express extreme emotions. She sometimes goes into conflict with her sister. When this happens, she seeks support from her foster parents, in order to resolve the conflict. The conflicts are usually over objects/belongings. Symbiotic attachment disturbances are still observable, together with fear of being exposed and negatively evaluated. Different psychosomatic disturbances are also observed at times, such as stomach aches and general discomfort, which are believed to be Ellen’s attempt to attract attention and get her needs met. Her behaviour seems to be directed towards earning the love of adults, at all costs, and she takes a submissive and a “victim” role. The cognitive-emotional deficit is characterised by disproportionate emotional reactivity and emotional expression, related to her demonstrating extreme vulnerability, which take over her capacity to think rationally about the situation at hand and impacts negatively on her information processes strategies. Ellen’s fine motor movements are within norm. She can colour figures without drawing out of the figure outlines. When she draws figures, they are simplified and lacking in detail. She recognises basic geometrical figures. She has good spatial perception of her own body, of external objects and her body and of external objects in relation to one another. Good concentration skills are observed. Her attention can be easily captured and maintained. Her ability to divide her attention is average for her age. Her memory processes appear to be labile. She appears to confabulate at times. Her short-term memory is average for her age, as is her associative memory. She appears to experience some difficulties in retaining and recalling information.

Update 01/06/2015
Ellen and her sister recently met with a prospective adoptive family from Italy. She did not behave with any resistance during this encounter, and appeared eager to have a mother and a father. She quickly established a connection with the prospective adoptive family. At present, she meets them via Skype on a weekly basis, during which the family, Ellen and her sister talk about their recent experiences. Ellen finished her second year at school with an average grade of “C”. She is talking Italian lessons during the summer break. She appears to learn new words more slowly than her sister.

Update 01/07/2015
Ellen is now adopted in Italy. Goodbye and good luck, sweet heart!

Update 01/10/2015
Visible results from the adenotomy carried out in April (dissection of a gland). During the summer his appetite and quality of sleep have improved. Maxim has become a very good goalkeeper when playing football. In his new foster family he became good friend with their biological son (18 years old) and plays a lot of cognitive games together with him. Maxim’s biological parents initially stated that they wanted to take back three of their children and that was the expectation of them. However they did not do that and as a result the relationship with them has deteriorated. Lack of motivation to study has been noted at the beginning of the school year partly due to unavailable learning opportunities and resources beforehand. Behaviour has changed in school. In his new foster family the child receives support from his foster mother and her biological son and they are trying to compensate some of the deficits. Currently the goal is reintegration, however in the last one year the biological parents do not demonstrate a good capacity to cope and have not developed their parenting skills. Maxim meets them every three weeks as agreed.

Update 01/10/2015
Janet reached significant developmental milestone – she had her first menstruation. Substantial change in the quality of the relationship with her biological mother. Due to regular Skype meetings, attitude has changed towards making joint plans for the future. Relationships with extended biological family have improved. Good start at the beginning of the school year due to intensive work done with a psychologist and a speech and language therapist during the summer school. This has positively influenced Janet’s self-esteem and self-worth and as a result her relationships with other students have improved. Janet’s biological mother is expected to return from Germany at the beginning of December so that the child can have her birthday together with her biological parents.

Update 01/10/2015
Following a referral, the child has been seen by a neurologist at the beginning of Sep 2015. The results of the assessment confirmed: Neurological status – normal muscle tone and reflexes, no pathology noted. Decreased fine motor skills, motor dyslalia (inability to articulate comprehensible speech), and borderline intellectual abilities. Significant progress in child overall development has been noted. Most visible outcome is social communication. Less chaotic and more organised behaviour, increased attention and concentration. The child is in first group in a kindergarten. Initially the child was very anxious and presented with aggressive behaviour, however at the end of the period the adaptation was successfully completed. The child is able to point at and name objects and interactions in a photo. He knows his age and can show this using his fingers. Mario can point at his eyes, mouth, ears. He is curious and asks a number of questions. He can distinguish red and green, however does not verbally name these two colours. His vocabulary has increased. Mario is struggling to imitate other’s behaviour when requested. Currently the goal is reintegration, however in the last one year the biological parents do not demonstrate a good capacity to cope and have not developed their parenting skills. Mario meets them every three weeks as agreed.

Update 01/10/2015
The most significant change for Sawyer during this period is accepting the idea of and changing his attitude about living together with his brother Gavin. Sawyer has been severely affected by a serial separation. He clearly stated that for him there is no other significant adult except his father. Sawyer’s resistance attitude towards his brother is the result of perceived preferential treatment of his brother in the biological family. Unconditional love from foster mother and equal treatment towards both brothers removed the resistance attitude. The support he received from his classmates (former class) has played a very important role in his well-timed adaptation. The child seems to be very ambitious. He is able to self-direct his learning and prepare for his lessons independently. His academic achievements are excellent. He is interested in robotics, sings in a boy choir in Varna city and his most enjoyable hobby is drawing. Connections with relatives (mother’s side – uncle, aunt and grandfather) have been re-established.

Update 01/10/2015
Some notable positive behavioural changes have been observed such as mature response when collaborating with others, increased independence, making informed decisions. Gavin is the youngest child in the biological family and it appears that he has been ‘spoiled’ as a result of that, therefore his brother Sawyer has built some resistance attitude towards him. He easily accepts the new rules in the new foster family, however struggles to follow them. He is now able to move further from his role of being a ‘little upset boy’ in his relationship with his brother. This is due to the support given by a psychologist and his foster parents. Gavin easily trusts others. When with previous foster family, his motivation to study and academic achievements were lower. Currently living with his brother and seeing his achievements appears to be an effective behavioural catalyst for Gavin. Connections with relatives (mother’s side – uncle, aunt and grandfather) have been re-established.

Update 01/10/2015
Vanesa permanent teeth are gradually replacing primary teeth. Children had to be placed in a new foster family due to neglect. The so called ‘getting to know’ meetings with a new foster carer take place every weekend in October. Vanesa seems to be getting a warm emotional response that she needs. In her biological family she has been neglected as a girl as looking after boys was a priority. The previous foster carer did not seem to treat Vanesa fairly, was emotionally unavailable and used to punish her. The child is in a second preparatory group. She is doing really well, demonstrates good organisational skills within the group. The class teacher has reported that Vanesa is very responsible. Currently the goal is reintegration, however in the last one year the biological parents do not demonstrate a good capacity to cope and have not developed their parenting skills. Vanesa meets them every three weeks as agreed.

Update 01/10/2015
On 14.10.2015 an EEG (electroencephalogram) was carried out and the child was seen by a neurologist. Results: normal neurological status; motor alalia (underdevelopment of the speech when normal hearing is present); attention deficit and hyperkinetic disorder; neurological contraindication to immunisation NF 621. Child to continue Convulex chrono intake (active substance – sodium valporade) as prescribed. The child started attending school (second preparatory group). The new environment and daily routine are a challenge for Valentin. He is learning new skills such as interpersonal effectiveness at school. At the same time Valentin continues his weekly Skype meetings with the new adopting family. They have established a good emotional connection with each other. Valentin’s contact with other people has increased. During summer time usually social opportunities are quite limited. The child is skilful in adding and subtracting numbers to 10 independently. Handwriting skills are in progress. He has started to learn words and phrases in Italian, initially with the help of a psychologist and the adopting family, later on with his foster mother. He has started making plans for his future in relation to the new place he will be going at.

Update 01/10/2015
Amelia had another health check on 14.9.2015 and a vaccination was given then. On that day her weight was 4.30 kg. During the last few weeks Amelia had colics. When being fed she is also given herbal drops to relief the gripe. Currently no signs of physical developmental delay have been noted and the child is reaching the developmental milestones. When being held, Amelia is able to extend her neck and keep head up. The child can extend her fingers or makes a fist. Amelia is in a good emotional state. The adaptation in her foster family is going well and she is gaining weight. She is awake most of the time and likes to be hand held. All family members who live in the house are keen to look after the baby. They take her out for a walk, cuddle her, take her to bed and sing for her. The child is able to recognise the voice of her foster mum and smiles when she hears or see her.The child is reaching the developmental milestones. The adaptation in her foster family is going well and she is gaining weight. Currently no signs of neuro-psychological developmental delay have been noted. The child can produce guttural sounds, extend her neck and keeps her head up when hand held. She smiles and responds lively to sounds and cuddling. . At a meeting with a social worker from the Child Protection Department, Amelia’s biological mother stated that she works in Poland. The mum has expressed her intention to save money and come back in Bulgaria in January 2016 when she will buy a house and provide adequate care for Amelia and her brothers. Her brothers are being looked for by their grandmother.

Update 01/10/2015
Nina is formula fed and has got a full set of necessary vaccine shots. During the first few days after admission skin rash and reddening of the face were noted. After taking prescribed medications and support from foster mother, the symptoms disappeared. Currently Nina is physically healthy and is reaching the developmental milestones. Nina’s height and weight are within normal range and she is currently 5.5 kg. Nina has been described as a calm baby. She spends most of her day sleeping. She responds with a smile when her foster mother is singing or talking gently to her. Nina likes going for a walk outside. Her foster mum regularly takes her out to local children’s playground. When being held, Nina is able to stay upright and extend her neck and keep head up. She sometimes partly extends her fingers or makes a fist. Nina responds to sounds and smiles. She is able to recognise the face and voice of her foster mum. It has been reported that a potential adopting family has seen the child, however till now they have not expressed an interest to see the child again.

Update 01/02/2015
The foster family continues on to further develop hygienic and house work habits in Nicole which teaches her to be independent and improves her self esteem. She is happy to go to school and communicate with her classmates although unfamiliar people can only become part of her environment when she has made sure they are not a threat to her. Her foster mother has expressed some concerns that there aren’t many children of similar age in their neighbourhood but Nicole enjoys playing with younger children and looking after them. Nicole shows interest in new school and extra curriculum activities besides her favourite arts and crafts hobby.

Update 01/04/2015
Nicole continues to improve her good motor skills and coordination by climbing, running, kicking and throwing balls. She is calm and mild tempered showing different emotions. She has developed a good sense of her own body and its relation with the surrounding objects. Her eye sight is in norm for her age. Nicole can recognize the basic geometrical shapes. Her attention span is still fairly short.

Update 01/08/2015
Nicole is physically healthy, her development is in the norm for her age. She often plays with another foster child - Michael. She says he is a very good friend of hers. The children go for walks in the park, attend kids' events and sometimes do maths together. She can recognize left and right. She understands conversations. Finds similarities and differences. Her reading technique is fairly good. Nicole finished first grade with excellent grades. She likes to express herself by reciting poems or singing. She can use grid or parallel line notebooks. She knows the main professions. She can name their main characteristics. She can name seasons, parts of the day, days of the week - in order. She can draw conclusions. She has a long-term foster family arrangement because of the developed emotional bond between the child and the foster parents.

Update 01/10/2015
Nicole is currently in good health, and has no deficiencies in her motor skills. During a charity event, she received a present of a bicycle which she is currently learning to ride. For some time some anxiety has been observed linked to the status of the child. She is looking for assurance from her foster family. She is worried that her surname is different from those of the significant people in her life. She is struggling with maths and needs support. She recognises colours. She compares and differentiates objects. Ncole's teacher shares that she is highly motivated to manage and learn new things. She has been placed with the foster family long term as strong emotional connection has been built between her and her foster parents.

Update 01/04/2016
Nicole was eight years old last month. Her foster mother organised a big birthday party with many of her classmates being present on it. She chose the big birthday cake herself. Nicole is in her summer holidays period now. They go for walks and to the beach together with her foster parents. She can engage in conversations with adults and can read on her own. Nicole likes to recite poems and sing songs.

Update 01/10/2015
Scott’s motor skills are well developed. He climbs up and down stairs, and plays football. He managed to bond well with the family due to adopt him. He calls them Mamma and Pappa. He looks forward to the Skype meetings and often asks questions related to his departure for Italy, saying he cannot wait for that to happen. He has already prepared his luggage and making plans for games and trips with his Italian family.

Update 01/04/2015
Gary is in his pre-school year, at a school close to the foster family home. His adaptation to the school environment is ongoing and he continues to feel unaccepted by the other children. This does not seem to have a negative impact on Gary’s emotional state. He is settled, with good emotional tonus. He seeks the support of his foster mother and receives it. He interacts and plays with other children, outside of his pre-school class. At the end of May this year he finishes pre-school and will be in Year 1 in the next academic year. Gary met with his grandmother twice after he was placed in foster care. He feels good in her presence and is keen on seeing her regularly.

Update 01/06/2015
Gary has a good emotional tonus. No signs of anxiety or overexcitement have been observed. He visits his grandmother regularly (according to a schedule created by the social workers) and he stays overnight. The meetings with his grandmother make him feel good and he is willing to spend more time with her. His foster family took him to a summer villa close to Varna for the summer holidays. He made new friends there and spent most of his time swimming.

Update 01/10/2015
Gary is in good health. His motor skills are well developed. He is due to start swimming. He is in 1st grade and has adapted well and has made friends. He received many presents for his birthday, especially books and animal encyclopaedia which is currently a great interest of his. He continues to see his grandmother in the weekends and holidays. He is showing desire to see his mother, who lives abroad and has not expressed interest in seeing the child. He is doing very well at school and his abilities are within the normal range for his age. The plan is long term fostering while continuing the regular visits at his grandmother's home.

Update 01/04/2015
The inflammatory processes are under control, the anemic syndrome is corrected and his hormonal indicators are within norm. Colin is currently adapting to his foster family and likes to call them mum and dad. He calls all other women “mum” too. Colin prefers to spend most of his time with his foster father and is unsettled when he’s away. Colin sucks on his thumb, rocks and cries for no apparent reason, but when cuddled and spoken to by his foster mother he is able to settle and return to his play activities. The child has very poor vocabulary. His active and passive speech is delayed. Colin does not understand simple instructions and uses no more than 10 words, which he sometimes mispronounces. He does not have established skills and habits. He does not control his physiological needs, and noes not alert others to those. He can build a tower of 4 blocks. He does not arrange rings. He does not recognise different animals shown to him on a picture.

Update 01/06/2015
Colin was examined by an endocrinologist, who concluded that some of his blood indicators, which denote good health condition, are below the norm. His medication dosage was increased. Colin takes this medication daily, as it is needed to regulate his hormonal levels. He recently met his biological parents. Colin does not seem to be aware of what role they play in his life and does not recognise them. He has started using more words in his vocabulary and can let others know when he needs to go to the toilet. He feeds with the assistance of an adult, as he is not able to hold the spoon properly and spills food over himself. His foster mother has been advised to let him feed himself on his own, when the food is solid, so that he can develop this skill. His paperwork has been submitted at a local nursery, which he is due to start attending in September.

Update 01/08/2015
Colin’s hormonal levels are normal. He controls his physiological needs and verbalises them clearly. He doesn’t recognise his biological parents as mum and dad when he meets them and is unsettled to be left alone with them.

Update 01/10/2015
Colin is showing good progress with his motor skills such as running, climbing, kicking and throwing. He is more stable and better coordinated. He currently attends nursery and has adapted well. He is a happy and lively child. He reacts well to praise and often prompts the adult to give him praise when a task has been completed. He addresses every female adult with 'Mum' but when reminded he changes that to 'Aunt' He is constantly seeking attention and affection from adults around him. He is able to name body parts and recognises some animals. He does not show much interest in books, prefers musical toys. He met his biological parents several times, as well as his siblings placed in other foster families. The parents have expressed desire to look after all of their children, but lack the means. The family is not consistent and does not attend all meetings, and gives conflicting information about where they work and live.

Update 01/04/2015
Alexander is unsettled and anxious, shown by the psychological tests “Choose the right face”. This is due to frustrations related to his lack of positive relationships, recognition and experiences. His writing is unclear. Uses his hands to do simple maths.

Update 01/06/2015
Alexander is scared to stay alone since the house of the foster parents was broken into. He’s developed a nervous tic – blinking with his eyes frequently. He attends private school holiday clubs and goes museums, sightseeing and has a lot of fun playing with the other children. He is now in the adaption register.

Update 01/08/2015
The nervous tic of blinking is still an issue. He stopped attending nursery for the summer. The foster mum’s mother helps the child to compensate the gaps in the school materials. He struggles with reading and story telling. He knows the months and the seasons, but has limited vocabulary.

Update 01/10/2015
Alexander is in good health. His behaviour is less impulsive and he strives harder to receive praise. He has difficulty coping with failure and always looks for approval from adults. Due to difficulties at school, he currently has one to one classes 3 times a week, and a weekly visit from a psychologist. He studies with dilligence and the work is yielding results. He is doing well with maths, but has difficulties with the Bulgarian language.

Update 01/04/2015
Our team are trying to secure a learning assistant for Lucy. She seeks to compensate for the lack of physical touch until now by constantly cuddling and staying close to our social workers. She is otherwise emotionally healthy with no extremes in her behaviour. She is anxious at school as her classmates have not accepted her and sometimes bully her. This has impacted her self esteem, leading to short concentration span. She struggles with maths. She is now in the adaption register.

Update 01/06/2015
Lucy attends private school holiday clubs. She attends museums, goes sightseeing and has a lot of fun playing with the other children. She struggles with reading comprehension and logical activities. Her vocabulary is limited and doesn’t recognise the clock.

Update 01/08/2015
Lucy had problems with her teeth and had a few fillings. She visits the foster parent’s mother in the village and really loves it there. She helps Lucy to catch up with the school curriculum.

Update 01/10/2015
Lucy has been in good health. She has been added to the Adoption Register. The foster mother has decided to adopt her, together with her first cousin Asen, who also lives with them. Both children are in the same class in 3rd grade. She is showing more perseverance in solving tasks but still requires additional support at school. She has one to one classes 3 times a week and one session with a psychologist.

Update 01/10/2015
Irra is also adapting and socialising well. She’s started Reception class at school. She always splits everything she has in half and gives to Irra, even though now they both have plenty.

Update 01/10/2015
Irra is also adapting well. She is more curious, communicative, attaching quickly. We have applied for her to start nursery. She can hold the pen but is unable to leave marks on the paper still. She recognises some of the colours.

Update 01/10/2015
Simon is adapting at home and at school. He asks about the girls frequently. We have scheduled meetings with his father for reintegration.

Update 01/10/2015
Nevton is adapting and socialising well. He learns to follow the house rules and routines, to work in a team, to communicate. We have scheduled meetings with his father for reintegration.

Update 01/04/2015
Lilyana has suicidal thoughts and deviant behaviour. She really struggles with the lack of interest from her mother. She’s significantly behind on her development and has a learning assistant. We are trying to organise a meeting with her mother.

Update 01/05/2015
Lilyana had a lovely summer holiday with the foster parents, learning to cook and become independent. She finished 5th grade and managed to get a pass on all subjects. The meeting with her mother went well and the child got some presents.

Update 01/08/2015
She is healthy and starting to look more feminine. She continues to visit a clinical psychologist and a specialist in youth issues. The sessions are helping her immensely. She is much calmer and has stopped stealing. She is much calmer at school too, as the children who bullied her have moved away. She is not focused at school, but she attends additional classes to help her learning. Her mother has shown interest in reintegration and even showed up at Lilyana’s birthday party.

Update 01/09/2015
The adoption process for Zvezda has commenced and she has meetings with the adoptive parents. This makes her feel torn and insecure. She misses her foster mother, whom she spent the last 2 years with, when she is with her adoptive mother, and vice a versa. The school year has started, but she is facing a move to a new city and a new school. She went to the seaside with her adoptive mother. The adoption will be completed within a week.

Update 01/10/2015
Adopted. Live well, dear child.

Update 01/04/2015
Mira often gets angry and openly shows this with her foster parents. She wrote a letter to her mother telling her she misses her and loves her. Mira attends school but struggles academically.

Update 01/06/2015
It is the end of the school year! Mira finished the year with very good grades. This was a great surprise for her foster family and a fantastic achievement. Mira has been registered for international adoption, however, she says she would refuse it.

Update 01/09/2015
Mira started to wet herself again. Unlike before, she is now wetting during the day and not in the night. She started the school year and is a student in the 7th grade. She bought a new backpack. There is a newborn in her foster family - it's the grandchild of her foster mother.

Update 01/04/2015
Tanya has a boyfriend! They have been dating for about a month. She has started to fall behind at school, especially at maths.

Update 01/06/2015
Tanya broke up with her boyfriend and managed to finish the school year with good grades. She has not met her mother even on Skype in the last 2 months.

Update 01/09/2015
The work of the Social Services on Tanya's social and emotional deficiencies is complete. She started the school year and is a student in the 7th grade. She wrote to her birth mother on Skype for her birthday.

Update 01/08/2015
The last check-up with the psychiatrist revealed that Dolly may have a form of autism. She’s hyperactive and anxious. She’s establishing a strong bond with the foster mother and her son. They go out for walks regularly and attend children’s groups. She is not able to speak but tries to make sounds and imitate words. Her walk is unstable, climbs up and down the stairs with difficulty, has no chewing reflex. She met her biological mother this month, who expressed her desire to take care for her, so we’re starting the process of reintegration.

Update 01/10/2015
We have prepared the documents for the commission which will assess the child for the level of disability. Dolly takes regular medicines for her psychological misbalance and her foster mother shares that she is visibly calmer and the affectivity has reduced. Her foster mother works hart to help her overcome her neuro-psychological deficiencies. They have started building a good emotional bond – Dolly seeks her attention and cuddles, they play role-based games and sing songs together. This has improved her vocabulary and understanding. We’re working on reintegration, but her biological mother doesn’t attend regularly.

Update 01/06/2015
Larry has reflux and since he is taking medicine, he’s more settled. He’s responsive – follows an object with his eyes, smiles back, plays with a rattle. His mother has still not made a decision about his destiny.

Update 01/08/2015
Larry’s undergoing special treatment for his reflux and his allergic rhinitis. He recognises his foster mother and smiles at her. He looks around seeking where a sound comes from. He follows the movement of objects, turns himself on his tummy and holds his head up. His mother hasn’t still made any attempts to take him back and his future is uncertain.

Update 01/10/2015
At this time. his weight is 7.5 kg and height is 65 cm. His doctor did not make a referral for ultrasound. The foster family was advised that such prophylactic exam (kidneys, stomach, liver, spleen) is free for every 6-year-old child. The foster family will ask for a referral and will schedule the exam. Larry is very jovial. He has a positive and lively reaction to interacting with adults by vocalizing. He can tell people he knows from strangers and looks for help from his foster parents. He holds a toy, puts it in his mouth and moves it from hand to hand. When on his stomach, he tries to reach the toy by attempting to crawl. The foster family says the child has painful gums because he is expected to teeth and he often uses rubber toys to calm the irritation. The family bought teething gel for calming his gums. The child's status is still unclear. The mother has not taken any action to show her intentions. She has not sought contact or information about the child.

Update 01/05/2016
Larry weighs 9kg already and as a few teeth are trying to show up he has temperature. He is in a good emotional status, smiles often as a response to an adult’s speech and makes noises. The foster parents have bought him a swing but he is scared to go on it. They shared that he is jealous from their grandson and wants all the attention for himself. He has a strong bond with his foster mother and follows her everywhere. He crawls fast and can quickly change directions. Larry is also able to stand upright whilst holding on to something and can walk in held by the hands. He can take rings off a pyramid, can pass a ball and knock cubes into each other. He keeps his attention for a long time whilst playing with pen and paper. His foster parents have been advised on what type of games to provide for him in order to improve his development. They have also been advised to limit buying of fluffy soft toys for him. Larry is enrolled in the Adoption register.

Update 23/12/2014
During the Christmas holidays Kyle was upset that he wasn't with his biological parents, though stated that he didn't want to live with them. It has been a year since he’s not seen his parents. Their original plans were to return from Poland and take him along, but instead their Skype profiles got deactivated and they cut every contact with him.

Update 02/02/2015
At school Kyle is doing great!! He is involved in the, "I have a dream," where he learned to design and make jewellery. He was very skilled at this!. He also gets on well his classmates! Kyle is healthy and his foster family provide for medical care when necessary. Kyle expressed that he would love to be adopted by his foster parents. He is in the school football team and has recently taken up table tennis.

Update 01/04/2015
Kyle underwent various assessments, including memory, attention span, coordination, practical skills, analysing and synthesising. He performed well at all tests and confidently shares that he can complete his homework unassisted. He has tried recently to push the boundaries and push back on instructions and demands for him to follow the routine.

Update 01/06/2015
Kyle maintains his hygiene independently and is always neat and tidy. He keeps his possessions and helps with the housework. He is very friendly and doesn’t like to get into conflicts. If that should happen, he resolves it calmly and compromises. He’s also very sociable and seeks company and play with other children.

Update 01/08/2015
Kyle fell out with his best friend and tried to resolve the conflict physically, but that was quickly forgotten. He spends a lot of time by the beach with his foster family. He’s on track developmentally, including self-control, motor skills, coordination, analysis and synthesis, practical skills. Although at present his future is long-term fostering, he’s willing to be registered for adoption.

Update 01/10/2015
Kyle is a healthy child. He says that he is feeling well. He is not troubled or afraid of anything in particular. He has resumed his good relations with his friend. At school the children are treating him well. Kyle is calm, well balanced and patient on the whole. He is active and energetic, and says “I feel well enough. Everything is going well. “He judges his abilities to be somewhat limited, but cannot say specifically what he lacks and what opportunities they would offer him. He demonstrates good self-confidence and positive demeanour. He considers himself to be joyful, happy, attentive, and to some extent shy and unsure of himself. There is work underway to help speed up his reading skills, but he lacks motivation and perseverance to exercise the skills daily to achieve the desired outcome. He needs regular practice to improve. The biological mother has called and asked to speak to the child. She has shared her plans to return to Bulgaria and buy a house in Dobrich where they could live and take Kadir to live with them. These intentions need to be clarified as on several occasions they have stated that they would return and look after him but until now these have not materialised, and have served to traumatise the child by giving him false hope.

Update 31/03/2016
Kyle had a mild respiratory infection during the past period but has fully recovered. A test observation on him showed that he believed that people were good, careful and ready to help others. He considers the world to be a good and fair place and his life depends on himself but also believes in chance. Kyle describes himself as a happy person and thinks that life has so far been gracious to him. He completed the school term with only one poor mark in English language and his mark book has also recently seen some good grades. He is improving his discipline, has a good relationship with his class mates but has no motivation to learn and study. His teacher shares that children have no one to compete with as the class consists mainly from not so good students. Kyle’s parents have not sought contact with him and it is unclear whether they have returned to the country.

Update 01/04/2015
Margaret is gaining in weight. She is being fed with adapted milk. Her physical health indicators are good and Margaret appears to be catching up in development with her peers. A recent examination by an ophthalmologist concluded that she has no eye-sight difficulties, following the initial period in an incubator. A cardiology examination concluded that Margaret’s heart condition can be treated successfully by Margaret’s first birthday. Margaret appears settled. She is currently adapting to her foster family. Margaret continues to gain weight. She sleeps and feeds well. She has good metabolism. She reacts to loud noises by trembling and blinking. She focuses her attention on noises made by a baby rattle. Margaret’s mother is expected to formally renounce her parenting rights over Margaret by signing a Declaration. Margaret’s name will then be added to the Adoption Registry.

Update 02/06/2015
Margaret is gaining quickly in weight. She drinks adapted milk. Her physical health indicators are good and she is making up for the developmental gap between her and her peers. She is regularly seen by a cardiologist, and these appointments will continue until her heart condition is fully treated. Margaret’s motor development is in line with her adjusted age of 2.5 months. When placed on her front, Margaret lifts her head and manages to keep it up without dropping it back on the bed. She turns her head to the left and right. She keeps it up when she is held. When placed on her back, she moves her hands and feet energetically. Margaret has a good emotional tonus. She is adapting well to her foster family and she continues to gain in weight. She reacts to voices by turning her head to the the direction of the noise and by becoming visibly livelier. She is settled for most of the time. Margaret is not grabbing onto toys. She focuses her gaze on the adult’s face, when she is being spoken to. She follows with her eyes horizontal movements around her. She tries to follow with her eyes her foster parents, when they are moving around. Margaret fixes her gaze on brightly-coloured objects and faces for short durations of time. She stares at people when they bend over to look at her. Margaret’s name has been added to the Adoption Registry.

Update 01/08/2015
Margaret is catching up on her weight since she was prescribed special formula milk for her frequent vomiting. She’s making efforts to crawl. She holds her milk bottle by herself and grabs for toys. She was registered for adoption and there were meetings with two adoptive families – the first one rejected Margaret and we’re waiting for the second family’s decision.

Update 01/10/2015
Thank God the second family accepted Margaret and proceeded with the adoption. She's now happy in their permanent care. Goodbye, little girl.

Update 01/04/2015
Helen appears settled at present. She is adapting to her foster family. Helen is gaining weight. She feeds and sleeps well. Her metabolism appears to function well. She trembles and blinks at loud noises. She focuses her attention on noises made by a baby rattle.

Update 02/06/2015
At present Helen is healthy. She feeds well and defecates regularly. She is gaining in weight and height. Currently she weighs 5460gm and is 56cm long. She is not yet vaccinated, due to a current lack of vaccines. Helen cries often and rarely smiles. She is colicky. Helen’s foster family has followed the medication prescription given to them by the family GP, but this appears to be ineffective in relieving Helen’s condition at present. The foster family has noticed that Helen prefers sleeping in a completely quiet and dark environment. Helen does not focus her attention on baby rattle noises. She struggles with focusing her gaze on faces and toys. She experiences difficulties with following with her eyes movements around her. Placed on her tummy she keeps her head up for a short while. Helen’s name has been added to the Adoption Registry.

Update 01/07/2015
Helen was adopted in July. Goodbye, precious little girl!

Update 01/04/2015
At discharge from hospital Rachel’s skin was in a poor condition – fry and flaky. Rachel’s foster mother is bathing her and moisturising her skin daily and at present Rachel’s skin is healthy and has a rosy colour. At present Rachel weighs 3250gm and is 49cm long. She is in a good health condition. Rachel is calm. She sleeps well and wakes up to be fed every 2.5-3 hours. She eats approximately 70-80ml milk. Her hygiene is good. She is bathed and massaged daily. She defecates regularly. She enjoys being washed. To date there are no signs of developmental delay. Rachel tries to lift her heard up when she is put flat on her belly. She manages to keep her head up for a short while, when kept upright. She reacts to loud noises by trembling and blinking. She focuses her attention when noises are made with a baby rattle.

Update 02/06/2015
Rachel recently had a cold. She did not have high temperature or a cough but her GP prescribed her with 7-day antibiotics, in order to prevent possible further health complications. The medicine was administered as prescribed. At present Rachel weighs 4900gm and is 56.5cm long. She is in a good health condition. She is vaccinated regularly, in accordance with the immunisation recommendations in Bulgaria. Rachel makes attempts to get hold of toys and follows with her eyes movements around her. She can keep her head up when placed on her tummy. She keeps her head up for a short while when held up. When she is held up under her armpits, Rachel places her feet on the floor and keeps her legs straight. Rachel’s mother has signed a Declaration renouncing her parenting rights over Rachel. Currently Rachel’s paperwork is being processed so that her name can be added to the Adoption Registry.

Update 01/12/2014
Grace is monitored by a clinical psychologist and psychiatrist in preparation for applying for child support benefit. Although not yet confirmed, she has been diagnosed to be mentally retarded in a mild form. That is to be reconsidered again in 6 months or a year. Grace is communicative, responds to encouragement and can connect on a non-verbal level, although she is a bit timid. She has adapted well to the group, interacts with the other children and rarely creates conflict. She is attached to the daughters of the foster parents, she seeks their contact, shares toys and food with them, she tries to copy them, playing gymnastics and ballet. At the next psychological assessment is established that she has IQ66 – mentally retarded in a mild form. Her attention has impaired concentration and differentiation with narrowed coverage. Her knowledge developments shows some deficits, she manipulates her toys in a stereotyped way and is unable to role play. She doesn’t recognise the main colours but can name a few body parts and knows a few animals – rabbit, dog, pig, cat. She can stack figures with some help. Preparation work starts for registering her in the International Adoption Register as none of the foster families wish to adopt her.

Update 01/02/2015
The child is physically healthy at this stage however her height and weight are still under this age average. The foster family provides for regular medical consultations with specialists if and when needed. They meet a neurologist who concludes that her fine motor skills are compromised. Grace adapts to the group well and her behaviour is considered appropriate, although she doesn’t always follow instructions. She appears to be emotionally positive. Grace doesn’t recognise the colours still but can group objects by colour. She doesn’t recognise the circle as a geometrical object and can’t group objects by size. The child gets easily irritated for no big reason, she loses interest in whatever she does quickly and moves on to the next thing. The girl doesn’t seem able to remember short songs and poems suitable for her age. She has difficulties understanding game instructions, is unable to properly understand the meaning of the stories she is read and the tasks she is given, therefore she quickly loses interest. Grace doesn’t realise the difference between day and night. She understands however the meaning of some space positions such as ‘above’, ‘on top of’ and ‘under’. She has broadened her speech and can make short sentences and ask simple questions.

Update 01/04/2015
The documents for registering her on the International Adoption Register are done. At present Grace is physically healthy. During this period she is seen by an ophthalmologist and it is not deemed necessary for her dioptre to be changed however it is recommended one of the glasses of the spectacles to get covered every now and then. The child appears emotionally stable and doesn’t show any signs of stress and worry. She expresses emotions adequately and appears to be balanced and a bit timid. She is usually calm, reacts adequately to encouragement and she can be easily persuaded not to do something. She is communicative and enjoys people’s company. She is still unable to properly divide and maintain her attention and has difficulties switching from one thing to another. She gets irritated easily by minor factors and loses her interest quickly to what she is doing. She has difficulties in understanding and executing an order containing more than two steps. The compromised speech and hearing abilities and the poor practical experience are the reason for the delayed development of main thinking abilities – to analyse, synthetise, compare and summarise. She still suffers to understand game instructions, the meaning of stories and given tasks, therefore she quickly loses interest. During a game, she mirrors what other children do without using her imagination. She can use all objects and toys adequately however she is unable to piece together a puzzle of three or four pieces. Grace is found an adoption family that has permanent residency abroad. They are expected to arrive in Bulgaria and meet the child for the first time.

Update 01/06/2015
Grace has had a respiratory illness during the past month. She has had appropriate treatment and medication and is now fully recovered. The child met the adopting family and took them well. She played with them and had fun. She even started calling the woman ‘Mum’ and to seek her attention. Grace looks forward to every meeting with her new parents and she has weekly skype meetings with them to strengthen their relationship and emotional attachment. An adoption procedure has been started.

Update 01/07/2015
Grace was adopted. May the Lord bless her with His love and care.

Update 01/02/2015
Molly was born with low birth weight and was kept for a month in a hospital in Varna. At the moment she weights 6500gramsHer foster mother feeds her with formula milk, fruit juices and banana or vegetable porridge. During the last few months Molly was admitted to hospital twice with bronchiolitis. She was given an inhaler to use at home for a month. The baby is unhappy when someone takes away a toy from her and looks for it for a while. She recognises and smiles at her foster mother. She loves bath time. When she lies on her back she can turn on her tummy. She shows interest to her toys and gets vocal to other people and toys. She plays using her hands and can grab hold of a toy held near her.

Update 01/04/2015
Molly is gaining weight and her general physical wellbeing is good. She is being fed formula milk, fruit purees and banana and vegetable porridge. During the last medical check she is better but she still needs to use the inhaler at home. Molly can hold one toy in her hand but she still can’t hold two at the same time. She can turn on her tummy when lying on her back. She can sit up with a bit of help. She is very vocal and spontaneous, especially towards adults and her toys and can laugh out loud. She uses her hands while playing and can grab hold of objects held near her. Molly’s biological mother signs the declaration that she gives up her parenting rights and Molly gets on the Child Adoption register.

Update 01/06/2015
The specialists establish that the child development is within the norm and she is physically healthy. Molly can reach out and play using both hands and she can transfer toys form one hand to another. She can sit up, hold her head up, back straight and use her hands to support her body. The child has formed and is expressing her liking to certain people. She is definitely showing affection towards the foster family and their close relatives. She can copy behaviour and behave adequately. The child’s sight can follow an object’s movement and looks for a toy if taken away from her sight. She explores objects by touching them and putting them in her mouth.

Update 01/08/2015
Molly is now adopted. Good luck and God bless!

Update 01/12/2014
He has been hospitalised and diagnosed with bronchitis and colic due to being fead food inappropriate food for his age, biscuits soaked in water. The child is 3 months old. he has been hospitalised and diagnosed with bronchitis and colic due to being fead inappropriate food for his age - biscuits soaked in water. He did not even have energy to cry. He lived in a bad unhygienic environment, and was totally neglected. The boy has fungal infection in the genital area and bacterial conjunctivitis. The child is discharged from hospital. The foster family has bought all the prescribed medication for home care treatment – antibiotic, syrup, drops and gels. He is bathed and massaged every day. He is being fed with formula milk. The child doesn't show signs of having slow mental development.

Update 01/02/2015
Mark is clinically healthy. The fungal infection in the genitals, the bacterial conjunctivitis and the dermatitis are under control. At the moment the child's weight is 6660g. He is given two vaccines after which he vomits and has temperature but fully recovers quickly. The child is emotionally positive and smiles when people make contact. He seems pleased when he is paid attention and is visibly unhappy when it stops. If he is held under the arms he stands very stable and can stand on his feet for a while. He can push forward when he is left lying on his tummy with his feet held firm. He can grab a soft toy and pushes it in his mouth. He can follow a moving object with his eyes. The child's future is still unclear and the mother cannot be found to sign the declaration for giving up parenting rights.

Update 01/04/2015
The child's has preventative ultrasound tests on his organs and urine and blood tests. He is deemed healthy, sleeps well and smiles when people talk to him. He weighs 7700g. The child is emotionally well, smiles and expresses vocally his excitement. He appears calm when he hears his foster mother's voice. He is impatient when hungry but calms down when fed. He loves bath time. He stands firm when held under the arms, can step firm on his feet. He pushes forward when on his tummy and can turn on his back. He can hold a toy and shows good hand to mouth coordination. The mother is still unavailable to sign the declaration for giving up parenting rights so his future remains uncertain.

Update 01/06/2015
The child has been healthy throughout the last few months. He still has a rash in the genitals. The foster mother has consulted a dermatologist and had bought the prescribed medication. The foster family had bought a pram and takes the child our regularly, they even leave him outside for a nap when the weather is nice. The latest blood and urine tests are within norm. He is given the next two vaccinations. The boy is calm and smiles at other people. He makes a lot of sounds and can say 'ta-ta' and 'ba-ba'. He enjoys contact with the foster parent's grandchildren and laughs at their tease. Mark stands firmly on his feet when held and can push his body up but doesn't make attempts to make steps. He can grab hold of toys, transfers from one hand to another, puts them in his mouth. He can sit without support for a little while. The child looks at the children's movies and advertisements on the TV. His documentations are being prepared for registering him on the Adoption Register. He still has a rash on his genitals.

Update 01/08/2015
Mark’s rash is healed now. He got a new tooth this month. He crawls confidently and pulls himself up. His gross motor development is behind his age for over 1y old child and he’s referred to a physio therapist. He’s friendly with the adults in the household and keen to participate in all games of the biological children of the foster family.

Update 01/10/2015
The recommended physiotherapy is giving good results. The child is taking several steps independently. Markcan throw a ball. He tries to drive a toy car. He has 4 teeth. Milan reacted anxiously to unknown people but has gradually adapted to the therapists and allowed contact. When meeting his biological parents, he smiles to his mother, takes toys from her and gives them back. The child is attracted by new musical toys, and likes to look at the lights but quickly loses interest and starts playing with familiar toys. He has been given educational toys appropriate for his age. The foster parent has been given advice how to stimulate the child’s cognitive and physical development. The biological parents have registered a complaint against the child being added to the register for adoption. The biological father however has not recognised the child as his own and his name is missing from the birth register. The parents have expressed interest in looking after their child despite not being in touch for 10 months and not enquiring about his wellbeing. They want to meet with the child and there have been 2 meetings in this period, but during the last one, the family has declared their intentions of going abroad again. There they intend to fulfil the requirements of the international social services for regular income and lodging, with the aim of reintegration, in case the process for adding the child to the Adoption Register can be stopped.

Update 31/03/2016
Mark had his sixth tooth growing. He can walk steadily, bends down to pick toys from the floor. He is a cheerful child who is selective in his communication with adults but is eager to play with his foster parents’ grandchildren. The foster parents have been advised on how to stimulate the use of a spoon and he can now put it in his mouth. Mark can hold a cup and drink from it. He does exercises improving his fine motor skills as prescribed by a consultant. No skype meetings with his parents took place in January and February despite our reminders and invitations. His father is already put on the birth certificate but the skype meeting scheduled for March didn’t take place again. His parents say that they are working to cover the reintegration requirements and are planning to get Mark back soon.

Update 01/12/2014
Michael said to his Foster Mother that he wishes he had been in her belly instead. He has vivid imagination and tells stories about the dinosaurs and about how they lived. He has a strong relationship with his foster family! He feels safe and secure with them. He will often wait until his foster Dad is in bed, before going to sleep. This helps him with his fear of the dark.

Update 01/02/2015
Michael is learning the traditional Bulgarian dances and enjoys them a lot. He has well developed spatial awareness and recognises shapes. Michael has been bought a tablet, which he loves to play games on, as a reward for getting good grades at school! He tries really hard and it has been suggested that he would benefit from extra home tuition. He gets on well with his class mates, though he has shared that he, along with several other children, are being harassed by another.

Update 01/04/2015
Michael is doing really well at school. He was awarded a certificate after the completion of the first term. His logical and cognitive development are advanced. He prefers dancing and drawing to running and ball games. His mother has not made an effort to meet him in this period.

Update 15/06/2015
Michael participated in several stage performances with the dance ensemble. He has several good friends and he had a sleep over at one of them. He completed this school year with very good marks, but he needs to improve on his hand writing and Bulgarian grammar. His mother has still not met him yet.

Update 01/08/2015
Michael has developed tooth cavity but is scared to go to the dentist. His foster parents took him on holiday and he had a great time sightseeing, visiting museums, swimming and playing with Nicole. He’s preparing now for the start of the new school year.

Update 01/10/2015
Michael admits he does not brush his teeth regularly and the foster mother has not observed that he follows with his hygiene, and this has led to a repeat inflammation and infection. He is due to see the dentist soon. Muhi has been enrolled in 3rd grade. Sometimes he has conflicts with a few of his classmates. He states that some of them do not accept him, and he gets upset at times. According to his class teacher he has not built an adequate model of integration with the other children. During the school day, the teacher observes Michael giving a present to one of the children, and taking it back at the end of the day, with the reason that he has given it for a short time. This gets repeated which affects the children and causes them to avoid him. The child looks for attention in an unsuitable way and does not manage to negotiate with children with negative attitude towards him. There is work underway to help the child build more adequate models of interaction with his peers. At the start of the school year he had difficulties with language related subjects. The lack of study in the summer vacation has led to the child forgetting some grammar rules. His reading has also been affected, but this is currently being compensated for, with additional study being carried out in his home. Currently there are no meetings between the biological mother and the child. Michael will stay in foster care long term.

Update 02/11/2014
Kristen attends nursery and is very happy and settled there. She likes to share all stories of her day with her Foster Mum. She likes travelling and her Foster Mum takes her sightseeing around the country. She is a curious child, who uses every opportunity to explore her surroundings.

Update 01/12/2014
Kristen learned many nursery rhymes and fairy tales while with her Foster Parents. She doesn’t ask about her biological parents and they’ve not turned up in the recent meetings, which were organised by our social workers. She manages fairly complex tasks, such as threading small pieces and building towers. Her cognitive development is on track.

Update 01/02/2015
Kristen’s teacher shared that she is well settled at nursery, socialises well with other kids and participates in all group activities. Her vocabulary is noticeably expanding and she is able to construct long sentences, ask questions and ask for help. She can hold a pen and imitates the adults pretending she writes very fast.

Update 05/04/2015
Kristen's biological Mum is back in the country. The reintegration meetings recommenced and Kristen can’t wait to meet her mother again. She helps her mum in the household and seems calm in her home. We have conducted frequent meetings for the last month and our expectation is that we will be able to complete the reintegration in 2 months.

Update 01/06/2015
Kristen is now reintegrated with her biological mother. Good luck, dear child!

Update 01/09/2015
Ivan is a student in the 8th grade and is excited about school. His foster family plans to purchase a small flat in a town near Stara Zagora.

Update 01/04/2015
Valya has recently made contact with her biological brother and sister! This was very emotional for her! Valya is still in school and her grades are still around average.

Update 01/06/2015
Valya is spending her summer holidays in the countryside, which she is loving! She has friends and says she feels free. Valya, as well as spending time with friends, also reads. Valya celebrated her birthday last month with her brother and sister. Her brother came back from the coast especially! She received lots of presents, including a photo album with pictures of her family!

Update 01/09/2015
Valya is healthy. She visited a pool in the summer. She wants to start swimming lessons, but that's not financially possible for the foster family at present. She is in the 6th grade and is doing really well. She had a first contact meeting with her birth sister and brother that went well. The child wants to live with her relatives.

Update 01/06/2015
Stoyan has a new haircut for the summer! He finished school with brilliant grades! He is academically stronger than his brother. He shows a real interest in technoligy. His maturity has continued to increase and he is taking on more responsibility! Before school break, it was reported that Stoyan was able to lead and be lead in class activities. This is more evidence of his amazing personal development!

Update 01/09/2015
Stoyan is in good health. He is performing well in school. He is straight A in the 5th grade. He went to the seaside for the first time. There is a scheduled first contact meeting with his birth mother.

Update 01/09/2014
Daniel already steps up steadily. He makes several steps unsupported and uses walls and furniture to rest. He has not yet received specialised care because his GP refuses to give him referrals. He still takes blended food and is unhappy when a different type of food is offered. He recognises his foster parents, but does not recognize other adults or children in the family. He is has his preferred musical toys and does not want to leave them. The hand-eye coordination is delayed. He doesn’t turn when they call his name. It is difficult to attract his attention. He is learning to drink from a cup.

Update 01/10/2014
Daniel has been consulted by a neurologist who diagnosed him with generalized developmental disorder. He was also assessed by a specialists from Karin Dom and we're awaiting their recommendations. When Daniel wants to express a desire or dissatisfaction, he begins to cry. He is frightened and unhappy when the foster parent is not next to him. He doesn’t manage to adapt to new and unknown settings. He is scared of strangers. Daniel manages to remove several rings from a ring holder, but fails to return them back to their place. He's now able to drink from a cup, but still splits the water. He can say "sis-ter", "Dad-dy ". Since he's not been visited by his biological family for 6 months, he will automatically be registered for adoption.

Update 01/11/2014
Daniel is consulted by the physiotherapist, who concluded that he needs to undergo treatment, which is scheduled from Dec. He is unstable when standing and sitting by himself and needs support to walk. He was also seen by a nephrologist, who found that one of the kidneys of the child is not visible on its usual place, so he will need to be hospitalised. Daniel is increasingly attached to the fostering parent. The adaptive skills of the child are weak and he doesn’t have resource to deal with these situations, he crys when immersed in a new invironment. Daniel’ s cognitive development progresses slowly. He needs to be examinated and visited by several medical specialists, which unsettles him and is a stress to him and the family.

Update 01/12/2014
Daniel spent 3 days in hospital for the examinations of the abnormal kidney. He was also prescribed a stripe on his left eye for 1hr/day in order to to develop the vision of the right eye in addition to the glasses he wears and the exercises he needs to do every day to improve his vision. The child pronounces individual syllables and sounds vaguely. He can move and turn around on the bed. He progresses extremely slowly in his cognitive development.

Update 01/02/2015
Daniel attended sessins with the physiotherapist at "Karin Dom". The fster parents are consulted on ways and approaches by which to stimulate motor and neuro-psychological development of the child. His walking improves and gets more stable and he has a better grip with both hands. There is yet unsatisfying hand-eye coordination and difficulty in space orientation. The child has no chewing reflex and sucks food. The child cannot recognize adults, only his foster mother; shows now particular preference to some of the other adults. He imitates simple actions of children and adults and can put out some items from his drawer, knowing exactly where his bib is.

Update 01/04/2015
Daniel fell fown from his favorite lorry-truck toy while trying to take his bib away at the same time and broke his leg. He will continue his physiotherapy once the plaster is removed. Daniel is emotionally unstable. He often exhibits signs of anxiety and nervousness. The child falls into affective states improper to the stimulus. The child is not able to adequately express emotions and feelings. Daniel does not recognize his name. It is difficult for him to understand and perform simple instructions and gets irritated if his foster mother insists on him performing any activity. He gets lively and smiling when he hears singing and music. He takes a musical toy and holds it long in his hand. He plays little with car toys. The child is registered for adoption.

Update 01/06/2015
Daniel had 20 sessions with the physiotherapist and now his walking is remarkably improved. He can get up and down from a sofa. He can walk longer without feeling fatigue. He continues to beat his head at the cot bed before going to sleep. The sleep is often unsettled. His foster parents will apply for the school for visually impaired children in the next academic year.

Update 01/08/2015
The doctors have certified Daniel' eye condition. With this document Daniel can apply to a school for children with impaired eyesight next academic year. Visits to the foster family during the period have revealed that the foster mother and her daughter neglect the child. On a few occasions they have left Daniel in the room only with the foster parent's grandson who is 8 years old. Based on this and also on the slow progress in the child's development, and the foster mother's failure to follow advice from consultations, it was decided that Daniel should move in with another foster family. The new foster family will care adequately for him, given his special needs and his need of continuous adult care. Daniel is getting used to walks outside as well as adults around him. He does not yet initiate contact with kids but does not dislike them being around him. There is still no progress in the child's language development. He has difficulty understanding and following basic orders. He tries to copy basic acts shown by the foster mother such as placing a toy in a box. Daniel is impatient and irritable when the adult insists on doing a certain activity. The child smiles and brightens up when he hears singing and music. He picks up a musical toy and holds it continuously in his hand. Using the toy, he follows routines that he has learned. The child is entered into a register for adopting children with special needs.

Update 01/10/2015
Daniel still has the stereotypical rocking of the children from orphanages. He bangs his head into the sides of the bed and the door. His impaired eye-sight hinders his mobility and his walk is unstable. He doesn’t have a chewing reflex and needs help to feed. Daniel has started to announce his need for the toilet by pulling on his pants. He lacks interest for games and cannot operate the toys according to their purpose. His foster mother supports his physiological needs but is not fully prepared to support his special needs and we took a decision to move him to another family.

Update 01/07/2014
During this month, Neal got an allergic reaction from a mosquito bite, but this is now under control and he is feeling well. Currently he weighs 10.400 kg. He is 76 cm high. His limbs have strengthened, he is able to step aside as he tries to reach a desired object. He takes a few steps by himself but still needs support. The child is in good emotional state. He often smiles and can imitate simple actions of an adult. He enjoys being thrown in the air and then cuddled. The child can transfer a toy from one hand to another to free his hand for a new toy. He manages to keep two toys at once. He waves goodbye and puts objects into a larger container. A medical certificate for registering the child for adoption is being prepared.

Update 01/08/2014
Neal cannot step firmly on the floor. The family observed that the left foot of child grows inwards and he is seeing an orthopaedist. He is smiling, vibrant, initiates contact with adults, vocalizes and stretches his hands when he wants to be cuddled. He likes to walk, but still needs a support from an adult. He enjoys the company of the adults he knows. Neal imitates the basic action of the adults. He shows satisfaction when someone makes positive comments about him, he is happy when praised. He plays longer with a toy. Neal is registered for adoption.

Update 01/09/2014
After the medical examination the orthopedic specialist found the child is doing well and has no problems with the mobility. The child already steps firmly with his left foot but still needs support when walking. Neal loves it when someone sings to him and claps with his hands. He accepts strangers and is very communicative. He can drink from a cup, plays hide and seek and likes to empty bowls of their contents, but fails to fill them again. He can transfer an object from one hand to the other to take a second one.

Update 01/10/2014
During this period Neal had fever and was on medication. He is a happy baby and laughs out loud when executing instructions from an adult and is being praised with “well done”. Neal repeats words such as "sister”, “mom”, “grandpa”. The child starts comparing different objects. He can imitate simple actions shown by an adult.

Update 01/11/2014
Neal is begining to walk steadily. He can walk alone longer without losing balance and falling. A secondary examination by the orthopaedist is due. The child is in good health. The son of the foster family had a new baby of his own this month. Neal is very excited with the baby, cuddles, and shouts "baby!" He calls his foster parents "Grandma" and "Grandpa" and calls "Mom" and "Dad" the son and the daughter in law of the foster parents. Most of the time he is cheerful, laughing and talkative. Neal repeats almost every word he hears. He observes carefully the adults and their domestic activities; he explores objects, turns to adult and uses gestures or words to show he wants something.

Update 01/12/2014
The orthopaedist found that the arch of the right foot is not formed, which is to be adjusted with the time and with appropriate orthopedic shoes. The child is in good health. Neal can understand instructions such as "Give", "Come", "Run". When a toy falls he says "Fa" (from “falls”). A meeting with a prospective adoptive mother was held, but she did not wish to proceed with the adoption.

Update 01/02/2015
Two years can be a long wait when such is the entire length of one's life. But at last, God sent a good adoptive family to meet Neal and he was adopted this month. All the best, smiley character!

Update 01/07/2014
He currently weighs 6000 grams is 58 cm high. He is healthy and doesn’t wake up for a night meal. Apple juice, carrot and banana are included in his diet. The weaning plan will continue with mashed potatoes. He has been given a vaccine. The child is in good emotional tone. He reacts to known and unknown faces. He also recognizes the voice of the foster mother and makes eye-contact as she speaks. He enjoys playing with the daughter of his foster parents. He can grab a toy and hold it in his hands for a while. He is cooing: "adi" "hey," "agu". He is laughing out loud and can turn to one side. The biological parents did not initiate meetings with the child during the last month.

Update 01/08/2014
The child responded well to the inclusion in his diet of apple juice, carrot and banana. He doesn’t like much the mashed potatoes and prefers the sweet taste of the fruit. The foster family walks out the child in parks and playgrounds. Matthew bonded well not only with the foster mother, but also her little daughter. He reacts and laughs when she interacts with him. He was taken for a short holiday to a holiday resourt. Marian shows he is unhappy when he is left in the cot. He still fails to turn from his tommy to his back and vice versa. During this period he met his biological parents twice.

Update 01/09/2014
Matthew weighs 7500 grams. Last month he had one of the two necessary vaccines, due to the lack of the other in Bulgaria at that time. The child turns from his back to his tommy. Sits alone, but is still unstable. Moves forward with a walker. He succeeds to hold his head up for a while when put on his stomach. He now eats solid food 4 times a day: purees (vegetables and meat), biscuits with milk, puddings. During the period he had a rhinitis and was prescribed an antibiotic to prevent possible complications for the tonsillitis. The child likes his bath time. He smiles and responds when his foster mother speaks. She enjoys her little daughter around. He is a smiley and sociable child. He vocalizes, but does not pronounce syllables yet. He reaches out and takes the toy, holds it for a long time, waves it and puts it into his mouth, transfers it from on hand to the other, tapping it. There is a good visual and motor coordination eye-hand. He is curious, explores different surfaces and materials. Still doesn’t drink from a cup. He is fed with a spoon. During this month, two meetings were held between the child and his biological parents. The child's fatherhas already been entered on the birth certificate as the second parent.

Update 01/10/2014
Matthew weighs 8300 grams and is 66 cm high. He did not have appropriate vaccine because it wasn't available in the town. The child claps hands in the water while having a bath. He smiles and laughs out loud even to strangers. He plays longer with toys, explores and rotates them. He can stay longer on his belly. He attempts to move by crawling. Loves to tear paper apart. He is experimenting with new, unfamiliar objects and materials. During this month just one meeting was held between the child and his biological parents because the father was absent from the country. It is still expected the family to finish with the repairs on the house in which they live, to improve hygiene conditions for raising a child at an early age and then proceed to reintegration.

Update 01/11/2014
The child attempts to crawl. He in good health, 8600 gr and 67 cm high. One of the vaccines Is still not done, as it is as missing in the town. Matthew has a good emotional tone. He smiles frequently and enjoys contact with the young daughter of the foster mother. He reacts positively to unfamiliar surroundings and in the presence of many people. The whole time he was relaxed and cheerful. The child is still not stable while sitting. He turns to take the toy out and puts objects into a box. He is curious to his surrounding and explores eagerly. During this month there hasn’t been a meeting between the child and his biological parents because they did not initiate such meeting. According to the social worker, the family has not yet completed the repairs of the house, there is no running water and it is unheated.

Update 01/12/2014
The child already crawls quickly and change directions. He sits alone; weighs 9000 grams and is 68 cm high. In December he had high temperature, without other symptoms. An antibiotic has been prescribed, the foster family bought it and the child is taking it according to the schedule. At this time the child is in good health. The child is in a good emotional tone. He smiles in response to the words of an adult and laughs out loud at teaser. He wriggles at songs and enjoys a musical toy. During most of the time he is quiet. He searches contact with the adults and expresses dissatisfaction when is left alone in the cot. The child eats with a spoon. He opens his mouth before the spoon touches his lips. He still doesn’t drink from a cup. Marian vocalizes, expressing emotions without much encouragement by an adult or the appearance of a familiar adult. He performs simple instructions: "Come!". Pronounces "ba-ba". During this month there hasn’t been a meeting between the child and his biological parents because of they did not initiate such meeting.

Update 01/02/2015
The child already walks alone. At this time he is in good health, weighing 9600 grams and 70 cm high. He is in good emotional tone. He reacts to the words “well done!” clapping with his hands. He has built an emotional bond with the foster mother and seeks her support when among strangers. He follows the daughter of the foster family and imitates her actions. He can stand up quickly and skillfully. He raises on his toes to reach and grab food from the table. He claps with hands and responds to "Give me…" giving away a toy. According to the foster mother Matthew pronounces "ba-ba", "Daddy ", "Mommy ". During this period just one meeting was held between the child and his biological parents. Marian does not recognize his parents. The child cries out and immediately seeks support from his foster father. When soothed, he allows contact with the mother, but refuses to interact with the father.

Update 01/04/2015
The child already walks more confidently. At this time he is in good health. He finally had the last vaccines for his age. He’s got four teeth. Matthew is a happy and smiling child. He is attached not only to his foster mother, but also with her little daughter. He reacts lively and laughs when he interacts with her. He takes toys from her, vocalizes, seeks her. He follows her everywhere, crawling and imitates her actions. The child is in good emotional tone. He smiles in response to the words of an adult. Laughs out loud at a teaser, dances at songs and enjoys a musical toy. Most of the time he is calm and content. Searches contact with adults and expresses dissatisfaction when left alone in the cod. Reacts to words “Well done” clapping with his hands. He now differentiates the known and unknown people and reacts differently to them. He enjoys to familiar adults contrary to meeting with a stranger when he sometimes frowns and sometimes cries. He recognizes the voice of the foster mother and seeks her. He also recognizes the voices of the rest of the family members. He reacts differently to rigid and affectionate intonation – when someone speaks to him nicely and kindly he smiles. During the period several meetings have been held between the child and his biological parents. Marian began to interact with them and remains briefly alone with them without the presence of the foster mother. The reintegration process is more active at that time.

Update 01/06/2015
Matthew is now reintegrated into his biological family. May he never be neglected again!

Update 05/07/2015
Mariah was ill with a virus this month. She lost some front milk teeth. She has episodes of provocative behaviour towards the foster family. She wanted to have a bath in a jerrican and went hysterical when the foster mother refused. She is becoming more independent and is able to dresses and undresses herself and to prepare a toast.

Update 02/08/2015
The child's behaviour is normal after the beginning of the school year. She cannot be forced to do something unless she, herself, wants to do it. She started the school year and is in the 2nd grade. She is doing well and has friends. She tells the other children that her mother is in Germany.

Update 03/05/2015
Gloria visited her birth father in prison this month. She wanted to see if she looked like him. She also met her brother and one of her sisters. She had a phone call with her older sister and this relationship helps her with her identity and belonging.

Update 01/09/2015
At the beginning of the month, Gloria suffered with throat infection, but she was better soon after. The child visited her birth village to see the house where her mother lived and died. After the visit, the child wet herself for the first time since she has been placed with the foster family. She is a student in the 5th grade this year and will no longer attend extra classes for children with learning needs.

Update 07/06/2015
She wishes to meet her biological father. She wants to see if she looks like him. Continuous identity crisis.

Update 05/07/2015
Raina went to the dentist this month and had a filling. She attends daily events organised by the local authority aimed to educate and prevent violence among the pupils. She has high marks at school, and is reading books from the recommended school list.

Update 01/09/2015
Raina is in the 6th grade. There are a few other foster kids at her school. She will need to move to another foster family, as her current foster parent is retiring and unable to take care of her.

Update 03/05/2015
He is being prepared for the impending event of another child joining the foster family. He is exhibiting anxiety and uncertainty in relation on to this. He fears losing the love of the foster family. He receives therapy and attends a day centre. There is no contact with the family. He had a dental caries treated.

Update 05/07/2015
He celebrated his birthday. There were other fostered children there, and he played with normally developing children. He likes structure and routine. He gets anxious when there are changes. At the end of the school year he took part in a school play where his role was that of a policeman

Update 01/09/2015
Vladimir started eating tomatoes and drinking yoghurt with water. On his own accord, he started helping the household by emptying the bin every evening. He started the new school year with enthusiasm. He rang the first school bell and also took part in some traditional dancing on the first day of school. His foster family are planning on fostering another child with disability.

Update 05/07/2015
The wedding is over. Lots of emotions around it. She is spending the summer holidays in the countryside. She was taken for a first visit with her sister who is 1 year old and was abandoned by the biological mother at birth. The meeting was quite emotional. She also visited the institution where she used to live, and met with the staff, some of whom remember her from her time there

Update 01/09/2015
Malina still has problems with wetting at night, but the incidents are less frequent. Her adoptive family has been consulted about this. The child wets herself when she is going through emotional concerns. The child is very focused on getting good grades at school. She read all the recommended books for the summer. She is good at English and also attends private lessons. During the school year they share a flat with the mother of her foster parent, as well as the family of the foster parent's son.

Update 03/05/2015
Avram moved with the foster family to another house – in a village. He finished first grade, he has improved academically compared to the first term. His birth mother is due to visit

Update 05/07/2015
He is due to go to a clinic in Varna for his strabismus. He goes twice a year. He celebrated his birthday in Greece. This is his first trip abroad. He finished first grade with very good results. He met with his biological mother and sister. When his sister is there, the communication with the mother is much better. They played all the time.

Update 01/09/2015
Avram and his foster family went to the seaside in the town of Tzarevo and he absolutely loved it there. He is a student in the 2nd grade. His birth mother is pregnant and she has told the child. He was happy about the news.

Update 07/06/2015
Anna's motor skills have improved and she has really nice hand writing. She has finished preschool! Anna is now available for adoption!

Update 01/09/2015
Anna performed at the celebrations for the first school day this new school year. She is happy about the newborn in her foster mother's family.

Update 07/06/2015
Peter has finished school for the summer break! Towards the end of term his behaviour had improved and he achieved average grades. Peter is now playing with some local children. This is great for his social development as it gives him plenty of opportunity to work on his social skills! His Mum is very involved in his life.

Update 01/09/2015
He has grown in height, but is very slim. He is overall healthy but is picky about food. He is experiencing a difficult time after the summer break. He has not read the required books. There is a scheduled first contact meeting with his birth mother. He went to the seaside for the first time.

Update 01/10/2015
Jonathan had fever several times during this period. He was taken to ER and the doctor diagnosed an acute viral infection. Meds were obtained and currently Jonathan no longer has fever but has a clearing rhinitis and cough. He is trying to crawl when his feet are supported by an adult. He goes to rehab procedures to help his general motor development. The child has a good emotional tone. He is calm and smiles. He is happy to interact with adults and vocalizes a response. Jonathan holds and throws a toy to the ground. He likes playing like this with an adult, expecting the adult to give him the toy back. He holds a toy, plays for a long time with it by hitting it, waving it, and moving it from hand to hand. He puts the toy in his mouth. He likes musical melodies and shows frustration non-verbally when the music stops in an attempt to show the foster parent his desire for the music to continue. The child is listed in the Adoption Registry.

Update 31/03/2016
Jonathan was hospitalised after suffering from weeping lungs and frequent breathing. He was discharged with improved condition but in the end of March he was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted into hospital again. He is in a good emotional state, can crawl quickly back and forth as well as sideways. He can walk if held by both hands and loves bath time. Jonathan puts coins in a slot, can remove rings from a pyramid but fails to put cups into each other. He becomes quite bubbly during play time and can mimic a dogs barking. The foster parent has been advised on what type of age appropriate development toys to use in order to improve his fine motor skills. Two adoption candidate families have been appointed during this period but one of them refused to meet him and the other one decided not to start the adoption procedure.

Update 05/04/2015
Neithan is settling well in his new family, but has emotional outbursts occasionally. He is still impatient and lacks self-control. He sucks his thumb for comfort. He doesn’t recognise colours or shapes and cannot sort objects. His concentration span is small and gets distracted.

Update 07/06/2015
For the first time in his life Neithan went to the seaside and had an amazing holiday. His foster family bought him a bicycle and he’s now eager to learn how to cycle. He smiles more and has support from the family to overcome his emotional imbalance. He learned to climb up and down the stairs and to build pyramids. He still struggles with his fine motor skills and is not interested to persevere to complete the activities. He met a prospective adoptive couple who did not wish to continue the adoption.

Update 01/10/2015
The child had an acute viral infection during the period. He is now healthy. He has seen a psychiatrist. According to the specialist, "Neithan is lively, interested in the toys offered to him, and plays for a short time." He engages in simple play and frequently changes what he is doing. Active work with a speech therapist, child specialist and psychologist is recommended, as well as resource help. Application for resource help has been made. Neithan has been in kindergarten since September. He learned how to ride a bike. He loves his 3-wheel scooter, a gift from bike club "Ustrem," and he is quickly learning how to move with it. He smiles and keeps good eye contact. He understands and follows simple verbal instructions. Expressive speech is developing; he uses a small active vocabulary, short 2-3-word phrases; sometimes showing echolalia. The foster parent shares that the child is happy to go to kindergarten and sings on the way there. Sometimes Neithan is aggressive when interacting with other children. He seeks contact in an inappropriate way. The foster parent was counseled on ways to correct this behavior. He has unstable active attention and slight cognitive delay. He does not hold his attention during kindergarten activities and is not interested in them. He prefers running around and does not play with other children. He is not able to color in a shape and scribbles randomly in a circle. The child is listed in the Adoption Registry. At this time, there is no prospective adoptive family.

Update 31/03/2016
Neithan had a respiratory infection in the past period which was cleared with the help of prescribed medications. The child is very communicative and greets everyone in the nursery. He still stands up for himself and gets in conflict over toys with other children and also has a selective preference to different food types. He has been seen by a speech therapist since February in the nursery. Neithan recognises red colour and can build a figure out of two separate parts. According to the foster parent she can easily get frustrated and gives up is anything doesn’t go according to her desire. He can count to 10 but sometimes makes mistakes and also gets confused with genders. He prefers to say ‘I don’t know’ rather than give a wrong answer. He is more focused and can keep her attention on one task for a longer time. She can build pyramids and can put cups into each other. Neithan still hasn’t got a firm grip but can draw a balloon or an apple. An adoption family has been appointed and the first meeting took place in March. The adoption procedure has been started and weekly skype meetings are taking place between the child and his new ‘mum’ and ‘dad’.

Update 01/08/2016
Neithan’s verbal development is significantly behind and is the focus of our specialists. He manages stacking activities and counting to 10 with help, but doesn’t yet know the colours and has very limited concentration span.

Update 05/04/2015
Danielle is very fearful and imagines people trying to hurt her. No reasoning works to convince her otherwise. She struggles to decode the social and emotional reactions of others. She giggles alone and exhibits unanticipated behaviour. She can’t concentrate and sometimes doesn’t understand what is said. She cannot retell a story in the logical sequence of events with no link between the sentences and has chaotic thoughts. She will be seen by a psychiatrist to determine if she has cognitive deficiency.

Update 01/06/2015
Danielle’s emotions are still in turmoil. Her social contacts are falling behind. The conclusion from the meeting with the psychiatrist was that she is behind on her mental development and doesn’t understand verbal instruction. She participates in games but refuses to participate in learning activities.

Update 01/08/2015
Danielle is emotionally unstable. She’s triggered easily and cannot handle losses or inaccurate completion of the tasks she’s given. She’s uncomfortable around other children, being unable to compromise or cooperate in a game. She doesn’t know the letters yet. She strives to complete the tasks she’s given and the praises encourage her to try harder.

Update 01/10/2015
Danielle had an acute viral infection during the period. She is now healthy. The child has a hard time opening up to strangers but once she knows them and feels safe to communicate with them, she is happy to interact. She has a low frustration tolerance. Sometimes she goes into tantrums, which are difficult for her teachers to control. For better support, she will work with specialists from the center "Joy for Our Children," located near the foster family's home, because she is unable to attend the more distant center "Iris" after school. Her behavior is not easily subject to structure. She is still unable to adequately interact with her classmates. According to her teacher, Danielle knows the letters they have studied so far. She knows the digits 1-10. She is trying to keep up with the pace in class but is easily frustrated and sometimes has to be taken out, where she is not disturbing her classmates and get individual instruction from the pedagogical counselor at school. She also works with a resource teacher twice a week. The child is listed in the Adoption Registry. At this time, there is no prospective adoptive family.

Update 05/04/2015
Samuel had a viral infection this month. He is calm at home, but has frequent tantrums at school. He is very emotionally unstable. Our psychologist works with him and to improve his confidence and learning motivation. He is also seen by a speech therapist as he struggles with certain sounds. He needs to have his occlusion corrected. We’re applying for a special educational needs teacher.

Update 07/06/2015
Samuel is undergoing dental care in preparation for the orthodontic apparatus. His self-control has improved since the beginning of the sessions with the psychologist. He really tries and works hard. He has short concentration spans and small vocabulary. He still struggles with reading, writing and maths. He shows signs of dyslexia.

Update 31/03/2016
Samuel had a respiratory infection in the past period. His teeth cavity treatment is in its final stages. Although he has been very calm Samuel had sporadic self wound inflicting tantrums. Our specialists have been working with him to improve his adequate emotional expressions and anger management. He readily joins organised workshops where he makes ‘martenitsi’. According to his teacher Samuel is constantly seeking attention and praise. He often copies texts and mathematical problems working with the class as a group. He is not fluent in his reading but maths is not his strong side. He only copies mechanically the tasks without even trying to understand why some things are being done. His class is learning how to add and subtract numbers in excess of 100 as well as the multiplication table but Samuel still cannot do any of these. He requires individual assistance with his work. Samuel is on the adoption register and a candidate family has been appointed but they have not yet confirmed if they want to meet with him.

Update 01/10/2016
Samuel had an acute viral infection during the period. He is now healthy. He is afraid of the dentist but had several dental exams. He is about to start treatment. He was also consulted about dental prophylaxis. He is emotionally unstable, restless, impulsive, frequently agitated and tense, with volatile moods. He is often in an agitated state. Samuel has a hard time following instructions - he accepts instruction but quickly forgets and acts impulsively. He is still learning the skill of following rules at school. He is attempting to form friendships with children at school but often frustrates them with his actions. The child is helped by a resource teacher this year. He knows about concepts such as seasons and lists three seasons, skipping spring. He does not know the names of all months or how many months are in a year. He does not know the current month. He is unable to tell which months belong to which seasons. He recognizes the different seasons in a picture. He also knows the parts of the day, days of the week and their order. He correctly lists the days of the week and knows what day it is today, what yesterday was and what tomorrow will be. He correctly uses "yesterday," "today," and "tomorrow" in a sentence. He cannot read a clock. Samuel does not have established spatial awareness. Orientation relative to objects and changing the point of reference is difficult. He is still unable to project the reference point from himself onto another. The child is listed in the Adoption Registry. At this time, there is no prospective adoptive family.

Update 07/12/2014
Dominic is improving and is physically healthy. He now has a secure relationship with his mother; seeing her once a week. As well as this, his grandmother and older brother are willing to care for him. This is great, since Dom's Mother is unable to care for him due to her long working ours.

Update 01/02/2015
Dominik is now reintegrated and lives with his grandmother and sees his Mother offten. He gets on well with his stepbrother. Academically he is improving as well. He is able to recognise more colours and animals. His motor skills have also developed as he is able to zip and unzip things without help!

Update 22/02/2015
Alicia has now been adopted and happily enjoys the long awaited love and attention. Good luck, dear child.

Update 06/07/2014
Nancy is healthy and lively. She actively seeks her familiar people and responds happily when she sees them and coos back. She has a favourite musical toy which she likes to play with most frequently. The perspective adoptive family have acquired extensive medical tests for her before they can decide if they’re prepared to take her.

Update 03/08/2014
Nancy’s medical tests went well and proved her good health, so the adoption proceeded and now Nancy is placed with her new adoptive family. Best of luck, dear child!

Update 08/08/2015
Val was seen by a neurologist this month. He has some noise in the heart. His motor skills are appropriate for his age. He gets really excited to experiment with the noise objects make when he drops them on the floor. He met a perspective adoptive family from America. He accepted them gladly and attends the meetings with his foster mother. He blows kisses and tries to hug the monitor when they meet on Skype.

Update 08/08/2015
The foster family moved to a different municipality and Victor is now looked after by another foster care provider.

Update 30/09/2013
Peppa was 10.5kg when she left the care home and steadily started to gain weight under the tender care of her foster family. Only a month later, she is 12kg, well settled and playful.

Update 13/01/2014
Peppa is now registered for adoption as all attempts to contact the biological family have been unsuccessful.

Update 27/03/2014
Peppa was adopted and was given a new name, new family and a bright new life. Wish her every best.

Update 30/09/2013
Fatima had the most to catch up on her weight and her foster family put increased focus to overcome her eating problems. She was 7.4kg when she left the care home and was very thin. She is now 9.2kg and is eating well. That new strength she’s gaining has also helped her to start walking and even says a few words.

Update 13/01/2014
Fatima is now registered for adoption in Bulgaria and the international register. She makes attempts to speak and sing songs. She understands well when spoken to and copies certain activities she's shown.

Update 27/03/2014
Fatima is starting to speak using Bulgarian and Turkish words. She caught up with the motor skills for her age and overcame the deficiencies built up in the care home. She's the perfect example for how children thrive in a family environment. She is friendly with children and adults and smiles almost all the time.

Update 22/05/2014
Fatima is unrecognisibly changed for the better. She is friendly, smiley, playful, she dances and sings. She prefers Turkish and is very verbal in it.

Update 04/01/2015
Fatima is inseparable from her soft toy Minnie Mouse, which she received from her adoptive parents, who are having matching meetings with her now. She’s started making friends and is more sociable with children her age. She loves music and instruments and really enjoys nursery rhymes, even though she cannot yet sing them yet. Her foster mother encourages her to hold a pen and draw by enhancing her scribbles into animals.

Update 08/02/2015
Fatima seeks attention by playful dances and gestures. She interacts well with other children and takes part in group games. Her foster mother helps her paint and hold a pen. She recognises different animals and makes their sounds. The meetings with the adoptive parents continue.

Update 28/02/2015
Fatima is now adopted in America. May her life be blessed in every way and that she would be a blessing to those around her.

Update 13/01/2014
Ivy thrives in foster care and rapidly compensates the deficiencies from the institution. Her communication has noticeably improved and she is now able to express her emotions in the safety of her caring foster parents.

Update 27/03/2014
Ivy is still behind the development for her age group, but her vocabulary progressively expands thanks to the songs and books she now hears in her foster family. A speech therapist also works on her pronunciation. She will be registered for adoption this month.

Update 22/05/2014
Ivy's speech flourashes. She is now registered for adoption. The family intends to move to another region, so Ivy's case will have to be transferred to another foster care pprovider.

Update 13/01/2014
Vince needs extensive support to overcome the deficiencies built up in the care home. He is still behind with his educational development.

Update 27/03/2014
Vince started attending nursery, which is helping his educational development. His pronunciation is improving with the help of a speech therapist. He is on a good track to overcome the care home deficiencies.

Update 22/05/2014
Vince will be moved to another region and then registered for adoption. The meetings with his new foster family are ongoing.

Update 13/01/2014
Steph was temporarily hospitalised after asthmatic spasm. Her foster family supports her to walk. She recognises familiar faces and responds with sounds when she is spoken to.

Update 27/03/2014
Steph's parents applied to start the reintegration process. They are willing to take her back home. She is catching up with the development for her age.

Update 22/05/2014
We're working towards reintegration with Steph. Her family should return from abroad soon. She's developing really well, even surpassing her age group in some areas.

Update 08/08/2015
The motor skills are as expected for this age. She tends to squat while playing and then goes back to her initial position. She can climb stairs up and down, holding on to the baluster. She holds big crayons in her fist and scribbles enthusiastically on big pieces of paper. She climbs on a chair, turns and sits. She uses her leg to push toys on wheels. She feeds herself with a spoon. The child is attempting to initiate interaction with other kids, she approaches them but is still not actively seeking contact with them. She likes babies and is especially fond of the neighbour's baby. She asks about him, looks for him and when she sees him, she wants to stroke him. She still resorts to physical aggression when she is angry or upset. She loves playing with sand, water, etc. She is very impatient. Steph is starting nursery soon. She scribbles aimlessly on paper. Her passive and active speech are developing. She can use 2- 3 word sentences. She can build a tower of six cubes. She is not yet able to stack cups. She can name cat and duck on paper. She can say her name and follows instructions. She baths a doll, she puts it to bed and feeds it. She can name objects in illustrated books; she pretends to take something from the page and smell it. She recognizes and expresses pain and points to its location. She scribbles on paper and can make a nest. The family has not come back from abroad. The social worker is considering entering the child in the adoption register.

Update 13/01/2014
Sally is very clever and thrives in the care of her foster mother, who is a teacher and stimulates her with a range of varied activities. She sings and draws very well. She meets her biological parents twice a month with little pleasure, because they are always negative and unfriendly.

Update 27/03/2014
Sally's father has gone to work abroad and her mother is preparing to follow, which will hinder the reintegration process. They have shared thoughts of taking Sally along when they settle, but given their frequent change of commitment, her future is uncertain.

Update 22/05/2014
Sally is a smart little lady, whose bahaviour changed with the right guidance and positive encouragement. Her bond with the biological family is damaged and she blames them for all that they have done to her, inspite the reassurances of the foster mother.

Update 06/07/2014
Sally overcame the anxiety towards her biological family. She asks for visits and tries to involve her biological mother in her everyday activities. She is a talented singer and wishes to attend musical classes. She even writes songs by herself and comes up with wonderful rhymes. She shows artistic skills and draws detailed pictures.

Update 03/08/2014
Sally is now back with her biological family. Pray that she will never be abandoned again.

Update 13/01/2014
Gabby is doing very well at pre-school. Her foster family has established hygiene habits she follows with pleasure. She likes to help in the preparation of pastries. Gabby and her sister Pam meet their biological parents twice a month.

Update 27/03/2014
Gabby constantly competes with Pam, so they are both encouraged and supported to develop their personal qualities to avoid sibling rivalry. Gabby is very bright and is doing well at school, but also needs a speech therapist.

Update 22/05/2014
Gabby and Pam stayed with their parents for a night. Both girls have a strong bond with their family (both families for that matter - the biological and the foster one). Gabby is amongst the top of her class

Update 01/07/2014
At the start of the school year, the foster parent will look for option to sign her up for sports, depending on her preferences. Gabby, like her sister, went horse riding. She was praised by the people who work at the horse base. Gabby had a birthday last month. The foster family organized a large party at their house. Gabby received many presents; one of the presents was an inflatable pool, which is now in the yard and Gabby and her sister have fun bathing in it. The biological family also had a party, bought a cake and invited friends and family. They gave her the bike that she had wanted for a long time. Gabby, like her sister, is excited that she will be going to school. She willingly writes and completes the assignments her foster parent is giving her for self-preparation. She has well-developed logical thinking. Analytical and reasoning abilities are good for age. Long-term and short-term memory are within normal range. The child is continuing to have visitations with her biological parents and her little brother every second and last weekend each month.

Update 01/08/2014
The foster mother, is encouraging Gabby to be more active and to participate in sports because she is heavier and likes snacking. Gabby is a little anxious and is anticipating the start of the school year. Most children in her class are her friends from her pre-school group. The event both children are excited about is going to the pool while they were visiting the biological family. Concentration and attention span are good for age. Gabby completes requests and assignments until done. When she is interested in an activity, she can do it for a long time. Lately, her interest in assignments related to her preparation for 1st grade has fallen. The foster parent was advised to reduce them so that her motivation to study after the start of school year would not be completely lost. She spends Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the biological family with the expectation that the integration will complete in Feb.

Update 01/09/2014
The child has good drawing skills for age and when writing she is careful to avoid scratching and redacting. She writes numbers and the alphabet correctly. She can determine which number is smaller and which is larger. She can add and subtract up to 20. She can group object by a common criterion. Her attention is good for her age.

Update 01/10/2014
Gabby was evaluated by a speech therapist who determined there was need to work with the child to correct the deficits in her speech development and particularly her expressive speech. At school, several children pushed Gabby during play and she said offensive words to them. This event was not caused by children's rejection of Gabby, who, in fact, is not discriminated in class. She has established friendships with the other children in her class.

Update 01/11/2014
Gabby also received many presents around her sister's birthday. She is polite and courteous, follows social conventions when she communicates with children and adults, and she is capable of sharing her things with other children. She cares for her family. She often asks about her mother and shares that she wants to live with her. Gabby does better in school than her sister. This is why she helps Pam when she is having difficulties. The child does not attend afternoon study and prepared for her classes and does her homework at home with the help of the foster parent.

Update 21/12/2014
Gabby is healthy and has not been ill during the last period. She burnt her right hand on the stove at the home of the biological family. The wound is not big and is in the process of healing. Gabby spent the Christmas break at the biological family's home. She shared that New Year was exciting and there were fireworks and firecrackers. Gabby also shared about her Christmas present - a tape/CD player, which she does not want to take to the biological family's home because it is possible that her little brother could break it. She knows that the time when she will again live with her biological family is coming. She is excited about that but she stated that she definitely does not want to end her relationship with the foster family. Gabby is careful and diligent, more able to concentrate and finishes her assignments faster. Her short-term memory is better. Gabby also learned a poem by heart and recites it, but not as expressively as her sister does. The child has some difficulties with reading. She has a hard time connecting the syllables in a word and does not understand the text.

Update 01/02/2015
Pam and Gabby were reintegrated back to their biological family. Pray they take good care of them this time.

Update 13/01/2014
Ruth learns to speak Bulgarian as it's not her first language. She can cut with scissors, draw and say short poems. Her biological father sought contact and they started meeting in attempt for reintegration. He says he wants to take Ruth and Flora back, but this has only been in words so far.

Update 27/03/2014
Ruth has no deficiencies as she has never been in care home. She has a strong bond with her sister Flora. Her foster family brings them up with good manners at the table, how to speak correctly, how to treat others. She is also relating to her father well.

Update 22/05/2014
Ruth's intellectual development is above average. She is very clever and picks up a lot from the biological children who are older.

Update 01/07/2014
Ruth is healthy and has not had health problems. She likes to dance like an indian, which she learned from an indian movie. Ruth had a birthday this month. The foster family invited her friends to their home. They bought her a big cake. The best birthday present was the clothes she received from "mom" and "dad." Rumi will be a student in a preschool class and is a little anxious about that. Ruth is easily distracted, having difficulty keeping her attention on her given task and needs reminding to complete tasks that she has started. She completes a puzzle of 12 pieces. She can color inside outlines. She recognizes colors and some geometric shapes. Her father refuses to sign a declaration to give up his parental rights but at the same time does not want visitations with Ruth and her sister. Administrative registration by the social worker is pending.

Update 01/08/2014
She has a well developed motor skills. She can draw and draft many shapes and letters: square, triangle, letters from the Cyrillic alphabet, and she can write her name. She can cut using scissors, but not evenly. She works with modeling clay, but not with great skill. She can arrange different object in a group by common characteistics. The foster parent returned from a trip abroad, which brought great excitement at their home. Ruth and her sister received many presents. Ruth is getting ready for school and is still a little anxious because this is something new to her. She enjoys all presents related to her education, such as notebooks, pencils, backpack, etc. Social Services will again investigate the possibility for the children's paternal grandmother to take care of them. If it is determined that this would not be possible, the social worker will register the children in the Adoption Registry.

Update 01/09/2014
The child's exam results during the preparation of a medical certificate for her registration in the Adopotion Registry show that she is healthy. Ruth is adapting well in the preschool group. She has been accepted by the other children and has established friendships. Her teacher praised her for doing well with the material covered. She completes assignments and follows rules. Ruth's imagination, which she uses in her play, is well developed for her age. She learns poems and songs. She performs them long after learning them. She remembers songs best, remembering both the melody an d the lyrics.

Update 01/10/2014
Ruth attended a workshop for foster children organized by the Bulgarian Red Cross, where the children had an opportunity to scrapbook, draw and paint and to create new friendships. Ruth has friends in her preschool class and states that she plays with the girls in the class, but not with the boys. Ruth does not color within the outlines. She quickly gives up tasks that she has begun. According to her, everything she makes is "ugly." The child is observant and finds hiden symbols and signs. She recognizes the symbols for the numbers 1, 2, and 3. She knows songs and poems.

Update 01/11/2014
The child is well adapted in the foster family. She does not exhibit signs and symptoms of anxiety, nervousness or worry. She likes to be cuddled and to receive attention. She seeks support from the foster family for everything. Ruth has compensated for some of the deficits in her learning development. She is able to keep her attention for longer. She completes the tasks assigned to her fully, without attempting to postpone them. She has improved her art skills. She is concerned about her appearance and tries to look good. She is finally registered for adoption and we're expecting the selection of an adoptive family.

Update 01/12/2014
Ruth received the Christmas present she wanted - a cash register. She likes to play cashier with the younger grand-daughter of her foster parent. According to the foster family, Ruth is more focused on herself and satisfying her own needs, while Flora, her sister, also thinks about her sister and shares every item and snacks with her. Ruth follows the instructions of her teacher, and adheres to the rules in her preschool group. She participated in their Christmas program, reciting a poem about Christmas. Her attention and concentration spans are increasing. Ruth remembers information and reproduces it after a period of time. Her long-term memory is normal.

Update 01/02/2015
Ruth has developed the skills of running, jumping, kicking and throwing. Her motor development is in normal range for her age. She has also developed skills for resolving conflicts with other children. During play, she is calm and able to compromise. She follows rules and instructions and can lead and be led. In school, she has developed friendships primarily with girls because she states that she has a better time with them. She participates in concerts and programs in school, recites poems and sings songs. Ruth is diligent and thorough in completing her school assignments. She is curious and likes to get additional information from the teacher. She is advancing well compared to her peers. She learns and reproduces new information. She learns poems and songs with ease and quickness.

Update 01/04/2015
Ruth visited the zoo and the Marine Garden together with the foster family and her sister. The child is very thrilled with the experience and shares what she observed. She often attends birthdays of friends from her preschool group, and is often taken for walks in the nearby park. Ruth's teacher praises her performance. She states that Ruth completes all her assignments and the foster family is also helping the child with homework assignments. Her memory abilities are good for her age. Her analytical and synthesis abilities are also in normal range. Her fine motor ability is well developed; she colours within outlines.

Update 01/06/2015
Ruth pays great attention to her appearance, how many and what clothes she has; she likes dressing up and imitating the older grand-daughters of her foster mother. When she plays with other children, she often gets upset and prefers to be alone. She attempts to get the attention of the foster family, sometimes in inappropriate ways (staying silent, not responding to questions, isolating, etc.) She talks to the specialist about her biological family and asks questions about potential adopters. She is very resistant to the prospective of leaving her foster home. Ruth recognizes numbers and their symbols. She knows most letters. She can write her name and can read short words containing the letters she knows. She knows the concepts of day, week, month, year, day and night. She can reproduce a mosaic figure from a sample. She can make inferences. During the last period, the child and her sister met a prospective adoptive family. They had three meetings. The family later decided to discontinue the meetings with the children. Their concerns were related to the age of the children and assumptions about difficult adaptation within their family.

Update 27/03/2014
Ryan is within target for his age group. He is clever with excellent analytical skills, but is struggling at school for his social skills. Still waiting for a decision on his long-term future.

Update 22/05/2014
Ryan may need to be registered for adoption, given the lack of involvement from his father. His struggles at school have not been resolved yet.

Update 06/07/2014
Ryan is healthy and friendly. He went to a birthday party this month and had lots of fun. He manages simple maths with the help of his fingers. His reading ability improved and is now within the norm for his age.

Update 03/08/2014
Ryan was adopted this month. We loved you, little man, but hope you will never need our services again.

Update 13/01/2014
Martin has adapted very well to his new foster environment. He is communicative, smiley and relaxed. He only says a few words, but tries to copy the adults.

Update 27/03/2014
Martin is developing well for his age, thriving in the care of his foster family. He will soon be registered for adoption.

Update 22/05/2014
Martin is now within the norm for his age. He is very socialble and playful. He makes good progress in his speech development.

Update 06/07/2014
Martin can walk unaided and can go down the stairs. He waves good bye, and makes a kissing gesture. He has a strong emotional bond with his foster family but is cautious with strangers. He likes playing in the sand and swings. He enjoys playing with car toys and colourful objects which, if hidden, he searches and finds.

Update 03/08/2014
Gross motor skills are age appropriate, but he is delayed in his fine motor skills. He points to parts of his body, such as 'nose', 'eyes', 'legs', 'tummy'.

Update 01/09/2014
He uses simple words such as 'come', give', mummy'. He likes to play with cats and dogs and wants to pet them. Martin has been added to the Adoption Register.

Update 01/10/2014
Martin has a strong emotional bond with his foster family. His foster mother takes him to playgrounds daily where he likes to play in the sand and on the swing.

Update 01/12/2014
Martin enjoys playing with a ball. He plays with other children in the playground and shares his toys. He can follow instructions and recognises a number of objects which he hands when requested. He can hold a pen and able to draw circles.

Update 01/02/2015
What a happy family are Martin's adoptive parents! His adoption was successfully completed this month. Wish him best of luck!

Update 13/01/2014
Scarlett was unable to calm and settle with the new family and was taken back to the institution. Further attempts to take her out of the care home will be made as soon as we find another suitable family and hope she will settle with them better.

Update 01/08/2015
Scarlett was adopted directly from the care home and now enjoys her new family, love and care.

Update 27/03/2014
Zoe has mental retardation and the medical specialists are trying to establish if this can be overcome. She does not speak or chew and is completely dependent on her foster family to serve her. She will be registered for adoption in June.

Update 22/05/2014
Zoe is now stable as she stands up. She can also express her needs, though not verbally yet. She invites for a game and is able to throw aball with coordinated moves. She now manages to drink water from a beaker and to chew some foods.

Update 01/07/2014
Zoe no longer needs to have her meals pureed. The foster family is attempting potty training. She communicates primarily with gestures. She can wave good bye and blow kisses. She has been added to the Adoption Register.

Update 01/08/2014
Zoe is exhibiting some aggressive tendencies, such as hitting herself when frustrated. She has been assessed by a speech therapist.

Update 01/09/2014
Zoe can follow simple instructions such as 'Give', 'Come', 'Put in the box'. She can take off dolly's clothes but cannot put them on. She brings her own shoes when she is told she is going for a walk. She is not yet able to use a spoon to feed herself.

Update 01/10/2014
According to experts from 'Karin Dom', Zoe is exhibiting autistic tendencies, such as limited eye contact, fear from certain noises e.g. washing machine and vacuum cleaner, is also anxious with new toys and needs time to get used to and play with them.

Update 01/11/2014
Zoe is aggressive if a favourite toy is taken away from her. She can follow simple instructions such as "Come here! Give me the ball." She takes part in team games and is curious to a new environment. She constantly needs to keep something in her hands for comfort. Her fine motor skills are underdeveloped.

Update 01/12/2014
She loves dancing, and claps her hands when listening to songs. She can react aggressively toward her Foster parents, if she does not get what she wants, but is otherwise seeks their help and is very positive. She doesn’t recognise the colours yet and is not able to thread rings to a string.

Update 01/02/2015
Zoe has been receiving speech therapy from Karin Dom and her Foster parents received specialised training to enable them to support her special needs with developmental games. She was poorly with a virus this month and received plenty caring attention from the Foster parents. There is observable positive difference in her emotional status. She is very attached to her foster family and is clearly overjoyed to see them. She seeks support and affection from them. She was diagnosed with moderate mental deficiencies.

Update 01/04/2015
She has sensory difficulties and shows aversion to touching certain things such as foam, dough and cream. She likes looking at books. She does not recognise colours, animals or fruit and vegetables or shapes. When frustrated, she hits herself with her fists and pulls her hair – occurrences which are slowly reducing in frequency since we took her out of the orphanage. Her concentration span is very limited and she gets easily distracted. She is able to build a ring or block tower with help.

Update 30/06/2015
Zoe was very ill with a virus this month. She was given a medicine which improves the neural processes of the brain. She can now bite and chew harder food. The foster family continues to work with her on getting her to feed and dress herself independently, and to be able to indicate her toileting needs. She particularly enjoys singing and can remain concentrated for 4-5 songs at a time. She hops like a rabbit and claps her hands enthusiastically. She’s now able to build a puzzle of 5 pieces, shows increasing interest in books and manages to drop small objects into a narrow crevice. She has overcome her fear of creams and allows to be moisturised and protected from the sun. All necessary documentation has been submitted for entering Zoe in the Register for Foreign Adoption.

Update 01/08/2015
At present the child is clinically healthy. Zoe cannot feed herself yet and does not alert others of her physiological needs. She is emotionally well and smiles a lot. She understands instructions such as: "Give!", "Take!", "Come!", "Sit!". Zoe is not aggressive towards the rest of the kids on the playground. She tries to initiate contact but is not very confident. She needs encouragement from an adult. She spontaneously takes part in chase games. She throws and kicks a ball, interacting with children she does not know. Sometimes she takes an interest and wants the toys children bring with them. The child is interested in books. She watches some children TV programmes. Throws a ball. Tries to catch bubbles but cannot yet blow bubbles herself. She can stand on one leg but cannot jump on one leg. An agency for finding an adoptive family outside Bulgaria has been contracted. The agency took additional photos and a video of Zoe so that they can present the child to perspective adoptive families.

Update 01/10/2015
Currently the child is in good health. In this period the girl has been seen by a laryngologist who made a diagnosis of adenoid vegetation. According to him there are no structural causes which would prevent articulation. The foster mother has said that sometimes the child is able to use the potty. The child is not yet able to have verbal exchanges, and there is no sound articulation. She is being followed by a language therapist. Sometimes she follows instructions and copies actions she finds stimulating. She shows interest in music – she stays focused for longer and follows some movements in rhythm with the music. Zoe is able to place shapes in their place, although she easily loses patience when she does not succeed the first time. She manages to place animal shapes in their place on a board. She manages to complete a 6 piece puzzle with a little help. She is able to draw circles, a nest, but does not manage a straight line. She is not able to put the top on the marker. The appointed agency looking for an adoptive family for the child outside Bulgaria, was unfortunately unable to find a suitable family. The child will be registered with another agency when one is appointed.

Update 31/03/2016
Zoe had diarrhoea; cough and a runny nose treated with antibiotics by her GP and is currently in a good health. She had her paperwork ready to apply for a place in a day centre for mentally disabled children where she can take part in various rehabilitation programmes according to her needs. Zoe responds positively to offers for going out and happily interrupts any other activities assisting with her being dressed. She still fears swings and slides whilst at the playground. She shows interest in other children but cannot communicate with them. An adoption family has been appointed but a meeting is yet to take place.