A Missouri teenager named Bella loves arts and crafts, fashion, shopping and curling up with a good book, and she is hoping one of those ordinary teenage pastimes helps lead her to something she does not yet have: a permanent family. Bella is one of hundreds of children across the state waiting for an adoptive home, and her profile with a St. Louis-area foster care agency lays out, in her own likes and hopes, exactly what she is looking for.
According to the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition, Bella is described as an outgoing and playful teen who enjoys reading, television and spending time on fashion and shopping. Her favorite author is Erin Hunter, and she is a fan of the Warriors series, the young-adult books following clans of wild cats. The Coalition says Bella dreams of taking a sculpting and pottery class and of learning how to bake, small but specific wishes that give a glimpse of the kind of everyday life she is hoping to build with a family.
Bella's story was also featured in a KSDK segment titled “A Place to Call Home: Meet Bella,” part of the station's Show Me St. Louis series spotlighting children waiting for adoption.
What Bella Is Hoping For In a Family
Per the Coalition's profile, Bella hopes to be the only child in her forever family, though the agency notes she does very well with siblings. Having a dad in her life is also important to her, the profile states. The Coalition says all family types will be considered for Bella, leaving the door open to a range of prospective households.
Families interested in learning more about Bella can reach the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition at (314) 367-8373 or by email at [email protected], per the organization's listing.
The Scale of Missouri's Foster Care System
Bella's search for a permanent home unfolds against a much larger backdrop. Statewide, more than 13,000 children are currently in foster care, and 1,500 children have no identified adoptive parents. Missouri has licensed foster homes and children in family-based foster care.
The figures are drawn from AFCARS federal data and MTE state metrics. Missouri has 114 counties, and Bella's situation is shared by hundreds of other young people across the state who are also waiting to be matched with a permanent family.
