Dash from European Union

Brothers Link and Dash were born in March 2007 and January 2009, respectively. When their parents passed away in 2014 the boys were placed in a foster family where they lived for two and a half years. They now reside in a group home. Both boys are physically healthy with age appropriate fine and gross motor skills, but Link has been diagnosed with unspecified learning and behavioral disorders and Dash with mixed disorder of development. Link is a sociable teen who easily makes conversation. He maintains friendships with his peers and prefers to spend time with children older than himself. Link struggles with regulating his emotions and frequently creates conflicts to impose his wishes and have things go his way. During these times, Link may be verbally aggressive, complain, grumble, or threaten others. Link is interested in a variety of sports and enjoys watching action movies and playing computer games. Dash is a willful boy who has established friendships and plays mostly with children younger than himself. Like his older brother, Dash is emotionally unstable and seeks to control others. When things are not in his favor, he displays physical and verbal aggression, threatens, throws objects, and yells. He is not open to constructive criticism and rarely takes advice. Dash likes ball games, watching action movies, and playing on the computer. Both boys show some academic delays and struggle with sustaining focus and attention. They work with a resource teacher but are not properly motivated for scholastic progress and do not always attend their classes. Link and Dash have a particularly difficult time with math, but can read, write, and perform elementary calculations. We are awaiting additional information, but Link and Dash may not have received the proper support and counseling after the death of their parents. They would do well as the youngest children in an experienced family that understands and can address developmental trauma and post-traumatic stress. Update April 2021: Our in-country representative visited these brothers and found them both adamant in their desire to be adopted into a permanent family that will support and love them. Academically higher achieving than Dash, Link struggles in school and does not yet know how he wishes to continue his education. Unfortunately, the boys’ academic environment is neither demanding nor motivating, so it is difficult for them to overcome any delays. In his spare time, Link likes to play card games and soccer as well as watch action movies. He has enjoyed his visits to the beach and dreams of seeing New York City one day. Link wants to be a firefighter when he grows up. Dash likes to play basketball, watch TV, and play hide and seek. He hopes to be a policeman when he grows up. Both boys would do well in a family with flexible expectations and the resources to support their academic progress as well as mental, emotional, and behavioral health.