Adoption agency First4Adoption has taken a highly unusual step to round off National Adoption Week: a public appeal for a permanent home for a 3-year-old girl.
More: Photographer captures exact moment adoptive parents first lay eyes on their baby girl
Grace has been in care since birth and her foster mother and father, Jill and Paul, are nearing retirement. They want to find a new family for the "cheeky tomboy" and agency First4Adoption has chosen to make the case public, in the hope of finding
Grace’s "forever home" before Christmas.
Grace is nearly 4 and has been in care since birth - help us find her an adoptive family #AdoptGrace pic.twitter.com/RnFVpHkWbk
— First4Adoption (@First4Adoption) October 23, 2015
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Grace's short life hasn't been easy. She was born prematurely at 25 weeks, weighing only 1.3 lbs, and has cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease. Doctors said she may not ever be able to walk but she has made amazing progress and is able to walk unassisted with the help of stability boots, growing more independent every day.
"She won’t ask you for anything," said Paul, who has five biological children with Jill. "You have to make sure she has everything she needs because she doesn't speak well. She will point to things rather than tell you what she needs. She is such a lovely little girl. Very undemanding. Anyone would be lucky to adopt her."
"I think that there is a perception that Grace may be a demanding child because of her health problems," said Jill. "But she is so placid. She would need one stay-at-home parent like me, because she requires a lot of care. But there is nothing wrong with her mind. She is as bright as anything, a very intelligent child."
Since putting out the #AdoptGrace appeal, First4Adoption has been inundated with phone calls and emails, with messages of support flooding in from around the world. Trained advisers are currently prioritising enquiries from approved adopters in order to find the family that can best meet Grace's needs.
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