Sunday’s Child is a weekly column featuring a child currently in foster care awaiting adoption.

Juan is an athletic 11-year-old boy of Hispanic descent. He likes being active and playing outdoor sports, especially basketball. He also also enjoys football, video games, and going out to eat.

Juan also likes to play games, and says his favorite game is Uno. Juan is motivated to do well in school and benefits from special education supports for some learning challenges as well as emotional, social, and behavioral needs. Juan is described as shy initially, but he will warm up once he gets to know you. Juan does well with structure and routine.

Juan will need a dedicated and patient family that will be able to keep him connected to his siblings. Any family constellation will be considered. Juan has four siblings in Massachusetts that he is close to, and he will need to remain in contact with them. It would be best for Juan to be the youngest or only child in a potential family.

Who are the children waiting for adoption?

There are about 2,800 children in Massachusetts foster care with the goal of adoption. Through no fault of their own, they cannot be raised by their birth parents. Many will be adopted by a relative or foster parent, but more than 700 have no one to adopt them yet. These waiting children are all ages, including toddlers, school age, teens, sibling groups who belong together, children of color of all ages, and children with intellectual, physical, or emotional difficulties or disabilities. These children have experienced many losses and changes in their lives, and need patient and dependable adoptive parents who can help them grow and thrive in their new family. Free post-adoption support services are available to help.

To learn more about Juan and about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at 617-54-ADOPT (617-542-3678) or visit www.mareinc.org.

The sooner you call, the sooner a waiting child will have “a permanent place to call home.’’