Melanie entered foster care when she was eight years old in 2017. For the next two years, she was placed with several families, some of them kin. But each placement ended when the resource family was unable to address Melanie’s emotional and mental health needs. Melanie had been neglected before entering care and required special help.

In 2019, Melanie was placed in a group home that provides short-term treatment for youth who need mental health care. Though only ten years old, Melanie was dedicated to improving her lot and was determined to join a family again. Shortly thereafter, she was referred to Stanford Sierra.

At Stanford Sierra, a social worker named Daniella started working with Melanie to build on her strengths and address those mental health and other needs that remained unmet. Melanie told Daniella that she wanted to rejoin one of the families she’d previously been placed with, the Abbotts, who had recently adopted Melanie’s older brother. Daniella reached out to the Abbotts, but learned they were moving to the other end of the state and were unable to accept Melanie into their home again. Melanie was crushed. 

To ease the disappointment and cultivate a network of support, Daniella helped Melanie reconnect with her grandparents and some adult cousins who lived nearby. But none of them were able to provide Melanie the forever family she needed.

And then Daniella contacted the Abbotts again, hoping they might provide leads for other connections. By this time, the Abbotts had settled into their new home and were open to exploring the possibility of making Melanie part of their family. 

Late last year, Melanie moved in with the Abbotts. Reunited with her big brother and benefitting from the loving acceptance of the Abbotts as well as the continued support of Daniella and her treatment team, Melanie continues making progress toward her academic, mental health, and social-emotional goals. The adoption process is underway.

The path to permanency can be different from child to child. But in each case, Stanford Sierra is committed to finding the forever families that every young person needs to succeed in life, be loved, and thrive.

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.​