In a perfect world Daniel and his new family would have lived, problem-free, happily ever after. But specialized foster care is seldom about fairy-tale endings; it is more about a family supporting a child through the roller-coaster ride that is adolescent life. It is about a clinical team that is available twenty-four hours a day to provide information, guidance, and emotional support to the foster family and child as they address life’s challenges.

During the first months Daniel continued to display a variety of behaviors from ongoing enuresis to oppositionality, but he and his family worked through the various problems they encountered. They strengthened their relationship and built trust.

As the months unfolded, the foster parents reported a significant improvement in Daniel’s school performance and a marked decrease in negative behaviors in the home. Although he still required special education, Daniel was making friends, attaining good academic grades and engaging in school activities.

The fairy-tale moment in Daniel’s story did arrive after all. His foster parents recently announced that this fifteen-year-old boy had become an important part of their family and they were interested in providing a lifetime commitment to him via private guardianship. Oh, and by the way, could the agency find another boy for them, just like Daniel?

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