Sunday’s Child is a weekly column featuring a child currently in foster care and waiting to be adopted.

Samantha is a bright little 9-year-old Caucasian girl who is a strong advocate for herself. She enjoys arts and crafts, drawing and baking. In the past she has participated in gymnastics. She is currently taking horseback riding lessons at a local farm.

Samantha stepped down last year from a residential program to a foster home and has done well. She continues to attend day school and receive educational supports through her former placement. Samantha likes school, particularly writing and recess.

She is used to being an only child and has struggled in settings with peers who have needs similar to her. Samantha can verbalize her needs and feelings well and she benefits from one on one, clear and concise rules and limits. Samantha reports that she would like to work with animals someday.

Samantha would do best in a home with a single mom or a two-parent family with older children if there were other children. A new family will need to be able to maintain contact with relatives who were former caretakers through phone and some visits. Samantha would like a family with pets and older siblings.

What is an Adoption Party?

Adoption Parties are casual events designed to give prospective and experienced adoptive parents, social workers, and children in foster care an opportunity to meet informally in person. Workshops provide prospective families the chance to network and learn from experienced adoptive parents.

Family-friendly activities and entertainment offer children and prospective parents a fun, low-key way to interact. MARE hosts Adoption Parties throughout the year in different locations across the state.

To learn more about Samantha, and about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at 617-54-ADOPT (617-542-3678) or visit www.mareinc.org. The sooner you call, the sooner a waiting child will have “a permanent place to call HOME.’’