12 Month Report - Social
Services
Twelve
month report of the
23rd
February
2001 – by the Copenhagen Social
Services
Visit
at the home of the applicants where both applicants and their adoptive daughter,
Yanmei, were present. Thomas, their biological son, also participated later.
Yanmei is now 3 years and 4 months old. She has lived with the applicants for 12
months, on
the 5th March 2001
. She is a happy and charming
little girl with brown eyes and black straight hair.
Health
Yanmei
weights 13,6 kg and is 89cm tall. The applicants feel that she is robust, with
only a slight runny nose since our last visit. One of her eyes still
“droops” a little, but not as much as earlier. Her doctor means that it is
only a cosmetic problem, and doesn’t plan on doing anything about it now,
perhaps when Yanmei is a bit older. Otherwise the doctor is very happy with
Yanmei, both with her growth and general development.
Kindergarten
Yanmei started in Kindergarten in January of this year, and the applicants feel,
she has developed a lot since she started. The Kindergarten is open from 8:00
until 14:00; and Yanmei usually arrives
around 9:30
and is collected around 13:30, depending on the planned
activities that day. She doesn’t sleep in the kindergarten. The applicants
have been able to give Yanmei a slow start, where her mother stayed with her in
the beginning and let her be alone for longer and longer time. The kindergarten
is small, cosy and calm, with children in the range from 3
to 6 years. Just now there
are 15 children and 3 kindergarten teachers during the whole period. Yanmei has
been interested in both the other children and the play things. She hasn’t
been upset when the applicants leave her in the mornings; the applicants feel
that it is because they themselves feel re-assured leaving Yanmei there, and
because they don’t prolong their goodbyes. According to the kindergarten,
Yanmei is happy being there, and they feel that everything functions well,
especially when taking into account the short time Yanmei has been in
Denmark. The applicants have the
impression that Yanmei plays with the other children, especially those of her
own age. When the applicants collect her, she is usually busy with something,
but is happy to see them. If she’s been in the kindergarten until 14:00, she is usually tired, but
she livens up again when she gets home. The applicants are happy and re-assured
about where the kindergarten is situated.
Sleeping
Yanmei
doesn't sleep at
midday
any more; but often takes a
short nap late in the afternoon, where the applicants wake her after about 30
minutes. She is truly a B-person, not sleeping before
21:00-21:30. Before she is tucked in,
she is read a goodnight story, after which the applicants say goodnight and
leave her bedroom. She usually sleeps the whole night without waking up;
occasionally she comes into the applicants’ bedroom and sleeps in their bed
the rest of the night. She wakes up at 7:00-7:30,
and enjoys that they have plenty of time in the morning. Yanmei still puts her
finger in her mouth when she is tired or relaxing.
Eating
and cleanliness
Yanmei eats everything, when she is hungry and not too tired. She stops eating
when she is full up. She will wee on the potty when she is put on it; but will
not do #2 on the potty, and therefore still uses a nappy. However the
applicants feel that Yanmei is aware of when she needs to use the potty as she
often goes somewhere out of the way, when she otherwise should use the potty.
The applicants will allow her to become potty trained at her own pace.
Motor
functions and playing
Yanmei
seems to have the same level of motor functional development as other children
of her own age, and the kindergarten has given her the last push forward. She
runs light and without problem, walks safely up and down the applicants stairs
– going down face forward. Currently she is practicing to cycle on her
two-wheeled bicycle – with safety wheels and helmet.
Yanmei’s fine motor functions have always been good. She
uses a spoon and fork when she eats, can thread pearl, and has been able to cut
with a pair of scissors for a long time. She can easily turn pages in book, and
can draw, although the drawings don’t look like anything particular.
Yanmei still likes to copy things that the
applicants do, e.g. make food, sweep, talk on the phone; but the applicants feel
that she is getting better at playing with different things. For example she
likes playing with Playmobile and her dolls. She has a very good fantasy, and
this is more noticeable now that her language is developing. The female
applicant still takes Yanmei to the musical playschool; for which she is very
happy.
Language
It is especially with her language that Yanmei has developed most during the
last 6 months. She now speaks in 3-4 word sentences, and speaks constantly. She
speaks clearly. She can express her needs and feelings, e.g. when she is upset.
She understands and profits from having simple stories read aloud to her, and
she also reads stories aloud for her dolls. She remembers and can re-tell
special things that have happened to her.
Reactions
Initially
Yanmei was scared of water, loud noises etc.; but the applicants don’t feel
that she any longer shows reactions that could be traced back to her time in the
Social Welfare Institute. They feel that she is similar to other children of her
own age, and don’t feel that they need to treat her any differently than they
treated Thomas at the same age.
Mental
Health
The
applicants feel that Yanmei is harmonic and almost always happy. She knows what
she will and won’t do, but isn’t hot-tempered or hysterical. She has become
more independent, and doesn’t need to be in the same place as the applicants
all the time. She can now, e.g. go alone down to the cellar to collect
something. Yanmei has always been happy with physical contact, e.g. to sit on a
lap, give and get hugs and kisses. Just now she decides who gets kisses, and
when they get them. She reacts normally to pain.
Contact
and attachment
Yanmei is very close to the applicants and her older brother, Thomas. In
situations where she is e.g. tired, she goes mostly to her mother. She is also
close to her grandparents, and other family and friends. She clearly likes some
more than others. With people that she doesn’t know very well, it usually
takes some time before she makes contact, but is then open and curious.
Conclusion
Yanmei settled quickly into her new life with
the applicants. Especially her motor functions were under developed when the
applicants received her, but currently she has caught up in all areas, so that
today she has developed to a level equivalent to her age. She seems happy and
harmonic, at good level of contact. She has just started in a half-day
kindergarten, and it seems to be going very well. She gets on well with the
other children and adults, and is curious and eager to learn, and participates
in the kindergarten’s activities.
The applicants have done a good job with
Yanmei. Their home is characterised of
tranquillity and harmony, which she has in all likelihood profited from. They have
also had a good understanding of her, and have been prepared to adapt to meet
her needs. They have also had the possibility to give her a long period at home
before she started in kindergarten, and she doesn’t stay longer time in the
kindergarten, than they feel that she benefits from. Her older brother, Thomas,
is happy for his little sister. The family seems to function well and is open.
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