Sunday’s Child is a weekly column featuring a child currently in foster care awaiting adoption.

Isaiah is a 14-year old African biracial teen who is described as sweet and shy. He also has the biggest smile! Isaiah does well with one-on-one contact and would benefit from making a positive connection with a caring and consistent adult outside of his program.

Though he has developmental delays and cognitive limitations, he is athletic and enjoys playing basketball and other sports. He also enjoys video games, miniature golf, puzzles and puzzle books that require you to find things in a picture, as well as sensory activities.

Isaiah currently lives at a residential home and his social worker is seeking someone who could serve as a visiting resource, take him out in the community, and possibly spend some holidays with him.

It will be important that the visiting resource person get a good understanding of his needs and learn about the activities he likes.

Who are the children waiting for adoption?

There are over 2,800 children in Massachusetts foster care with the goal of adoption. Through no fault of their own, they cannot be raised by their birth parents. Many will be adopted by a relative or foster parent, but more than 700 have no one to adopt them yet. These waiting children are all ages, including toddlers, school age, teens, sibling groups who belong together, children of color of all ages, and children with intellectual, physical, or emotional difficulties or disabilities.

These children have experienced many losses and changes in their lives, and need patient and dependable adoptive parents who can help them grow and thrive in their new family. Free post-adoption support services are available to help.

To learn more about Isaiah, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at 617-54-ADOPT (617-542- 3678) or visit mareinc.org. The sooner you call, the sooner a waiting child will have “a permanent place to call home.’’