Frank, 8, is still waiting for a family to call his own. Born Feb. 27, 1984, he is in the third grade. Frank loves big machinery like tractors, road graders and cranes. He likes animals and has had a special interest in dinosaurs.
The abuse, neglect and instability in his life have resulted in difficult emotional and behavior problems. It is also suspected that he may suffer from some serious mental-health problems that interfere with his success in school and family settings. Frank has moved out of the residential treatment program he was in last year. He spent some time in a foster home and because of behavior problems was moved to the children's psychiatric hospital for a 30-day evaluation in December.Special-education classes are needed because of his short attention span and emotional problems.
He is an intelligent and curious boy who is usually well-behaved in social situations. However, he still hasn't learned to fully trust others and isn't appropriately concerned about his own safety. Frank has mild hearing loss and is color blind.
When Frank's brother George, 13, who is visually impaired, was placed in the same foster home with him last fall, his behavior deteriorated dramatically.
Frank's social worker hopes to find an adoptive family who can provide him with the structure, consistent limits and consequences that he needs to succeed. A family who will share interests and encourage him to pursue activities will probably have the most success. He's likely to do best as the youngest or only child. Frank needs to stay in touch with his brother, who will be placed separately. Financial assistance is available.