Editor's Note: Window on the Clearwater has joined the Wednesday's Child network to help spread the word about children that are waiting for families to give them the loving care that they need. Each Wednesday we will profile a different child. For more information about Wednesday's Child and how you can be involved check the web site at: http://www.idahowednesdayschild.org/.

Colby

Age: 16

This shy teenager will warm up quickly to anyone who is armed with pizza or LEGO! He is very proficient at building things with LEGO and can sit for quite a long time engaging in this, his favorite hobby. He is just learning to find leisure activities that he enjoys and would thrive with a family who helps him to explore new interests. Some of his most recent interests include reading and doing crafts.

Though currently living in a treatment setting, Colby would thrive under the direction and support of a loving family. He can be slow to warm to new people and situations, but a family who is willing to stick it out and be committed to him would have the privilege of watching Colby blossom as he approaches late adolescence and adulthood.

Empathy and even-headedness describe two of the most important qualities of the optimal family environment for Colby. He does not respond well to a punitive environment and needs parents who are patient with the way his brain processes the world and interprets things around him.

The adoption team is looking for a family who is knowledgeable about early childhood trauma and how to parent a child who comes from such a background. These parents should also possess a willingness to commit to Colby well into his adult years.

Colby is attending a day treatment school, and it is recommended that he continue in a similar setting when he discharges from the treatment program. A family would need to be strong advocates for Colby to be sure that his educational needs are being met and that he is in the right school setting.

It is highly recommended that Colby be the only child in the family, or the youngest child among older brothers and sisters. Colby has some important family ties that need to be maintained via in-person visits, phone calls or other forms of communication. If you are a single dad or a two-parent couple who has a vision to see past a child's behavioral struggles and see their potential, you may be just the family for Colby.

Portrait by Jennifer Holmes Photography

To find out more about Colby, adoption or becoming a foster parent, email the Idaho CareLine (Please include your zip code and city.) or call 1-800-926-2588. You may be asked to provide this reference number: 30519.

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