Shannon

Shannon is five years old. She has a great imagination and likes to be active.

Shannon is a whirlwind of energy and sometimes she can be a little clumsy when she gets excited. She likes her routines and if this changes she can get a little upset and needs support to understand why her day has changed. Once she gets to know people are safe, she is not shy and enjoys playing with adults and children. She is getting much better at talking and now enjoys saying “good morning” to her teacher and friends at her school. She is caring towards her foster carer and friends, and likes to know they are happy so she often asks, “you ok?” and she smiles at them too. She likes to have a cuddle with her foster carer and laughs when she tickles her.

Her Social Worker says she has a great little giggle which makes people laugh!

Shannon had a difficult start in life but has lived with the same therapeutic foster carer since she became looked after. Shannon has been given safety and security and this is evident in the amount of development she has made in such a short period of time.  She gets excited to see her foster carer and is happy to go back to their home.

Shannon’s foster carer said: Shannon has started to squeal with excitement and will hold her hands to her face in excitement. She also seeks a lot of reassurance from me and will say ‘you happy?’ but we have come to realise this means she is saying that she is happy.”

Shannon is due to start attending gymnastics on a Saturday morning.

She has recently started Irish dancing lessons also! Her foster carer is not expecting this is something she is necessarily going to take to straight away, but it will expose her to more social situations with other children, an area in which she struggles. On a Sunday, Shannon goes to church. She loves going, she has got friends there, lots of different age children. She sits by the choir and knows the choir by name. She sings all the hymns. She always says good morning to Jesus when she arrives, speaks to the baby in the crib and asks if he is cold and covers him up with his blanket!

Shannon will need adopters who can nurture and support her whilst she navigates through life after a difficult beginning. She has formed a positive attachment and bond to her foster carer which we are confident will be transferred to her prospective adopter.