Pauline, 12, loves to swim and camp

Twelve-year-old Pauline has beautiful brown eyes, a pretty smile, an engaging personality and a lot of energy.

Pauline enjoys camping, riding her bike, swimming and making crafts.

Pauline has been in DHHS custody since the fall of 2000 and has won the heart of everyone she has worked with since she has been in care. Pauline attaches easily and shows affection readily to her foster parents and staff she has worked with. She responds well to empathy and emotional support.

Pauline does well with one-on-one attention. Pauline enjoys attending school. She is working below grade level, but she improves daily. Pauline receives extra help at school with her reading and writing. She engages easily in conversation and works hard to get beyond frustrating challenges.

Pauline would do best in a two-parent family that would be open to her having contact with her two younger sisters. She would benefit most from a family where she would be the youngest child because she was responsible for her younger siblings in her birth home. Pauline needs a family to provide her with supervision, emotional support and patience.

An adoption subsidy may be available to the most appropriate family.

Pauline is one of the 155 children in the care of the state Department of Health and Human Services who are seeking an adoptive family.

Based in Gardiner, A Family for ME is a nonprofit program that works in collaboration with DHHS to find foster and adoptive families for Maine children in care.

For information about Pauline or other children available for adoption, contact A Family for ME toll free at (877) 505-0545, or visit www.AFamily

ForMe.org and see the photographs of some of the many children awaiting a “forever family.”