Charlie

Charlie (age 3) is a lively, playful young boy who is described as naturally inquisitive and can be very resourceful especially when climbing. He loves to climb and jump and enjoys Play-Doh and painting. He can be very affectionate and likes lots of cuddles; his ability to give and receive affection is continuously growing now that he is in a place of safety and security.

Charlie likes to sing and will usually sing in the car, although has been known to wake up during the night and let out a tune. His favourite song is ‘Miss Polly’ but he has started to like the ‘Super Tato’ song from Peppa Pig about eating his five fruit and vegetables per day. Charlie loves Peppa Pig and has the Peppa snort down to a tee.

Charlie has a great sense of humour and likes to wear things on his head, sometimes hats, sometimes bowls. Charlie is starting to really engage with imaginative play; he has a real passion for anything pirate related and will say ‘aaaarrrrrggh’ when he’s in character. Charlie’s imaginative play appears to have come on leaps and bounds over the last few months.

Charlie attends nursery five mornings per week and he enjoys his time here and has developed some lovely relationships with staff who all absolutely adore him. At first, Charlie struggled to interact with other children and spent a lot of time playing by himself but over time Charlie has settled in and is now much more able to join in on carpet time and take turns with adult support. Charlie does well with visual aids and this bhas helped him adapt to the routines within nursery. Charlie receives some support from speech and language and he appears to be making steady progress in this area.

Prior to moving to foster care, Charlie experienced a lot of instability and was exposed to some frightening situations whilst in the care of his birth family. He was likely exposed to arguments and fighting, which would have been very scary for Charlie to see. There were worries about parental substance misuse.

Charlie first moved into his foster placement when he was two years old and episodes of dysregulation appeared frequently, however, Charlie has made huge progress in this area and these episodes are far less frequent and less severe. Charlie’s carers and nursery staff know how to support him and find that he responds really well to reassurance and distraction. Charlie has experienced a lot of instability, and it is expected that it may take some time to develop his trust but once this is earned, the love and joy his new family will receive from Charlie will be immensely rewarding.

Ethnic and cultural descent:

White British.

Family needed:

A two parent family, or one parent with a strong support network, who can meet and support Charlie’s needs both now and in the future.

Contact plans:

Yearly two-way letterbox contact with birth parents.

Legal Status:

Full care order and placement order granted.