Family of the Year 2021: The Osorios
National Adoption Day Nomination

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family with 3 kids

After many years of trying to grow their family, the Osorios were matched with a pair of siblings, Mackenzie and Noah.  Before joining the Osorios, Mackenzie and Noah had had very little exposure to the outside world.  They were emotionally dysregulated and in need of many forms of care.

Mackenzie often had tantrums.  She would throw and destroy objects around the house.  Noah had never seen a dentist.  Cavities in his baby teeth had spread to his adult teeth, which hadn’t come in yet.  Both children suffered developmental delays.

From the outset, the Osorios were committed to acting in the best interests of the children. They helped Mackenzie and Noah keep in contact with their birth family through supervised Zoom visits.  They engaged with the courts to secure specialized dental care for Noah.  And they advocated for academic help and speech therapy for both siblings to help them catch up at school. 

The Osorios have been an asset to other resource families too.  They attend support groups, where they share what they’ve learned as foster parents of school-aged kids who’ve endured trauma.  They encourage resource families to build and maintain relationships with birth families.  Above all, they emphasize a commitment to the wellbeing of the children.  Whether the children they foster are reunified with their biological parents or join the resource family permanently, the Osorios encourage a consistent focus on the best interests of the kids.

Today, Mackenzie and Noah are part of the Osorio family permanently.  The Osorios adopted them.  Both of the children are healthy, doing well academically, and have begun to make friends. Together, this family of four knows how to solve challenges and thrive.