These two sets of brothers live miles apart at opposite ends of the country but all want the same thing – a forever family.
With their big brown eyes, thick dark hair and matching red checked shirts, Nico and Jan are like two peas in a pod.
At their home in Lancashire, big brother Nico puts a protective arm around Jan, kisses him on the cheek and says his favourite word: “baby”.
The brothers clearly adore each other and you could never in a million years imagine their being separated.
Meanwhile, 200 miles away in the south, Josh races into the living room where he can’t wait to show us his toy guitar. He is just back from the child minder, full of beans and eager to play.
“He loves it there and gets on very well with the other kids,” smiles his foster carer. “He’s such a happy little boy, he’s always making people smile.”
Josh, two, and his brother Ryan, five, are looking for a forever home after going into foster care a year ago.
We are sharing the stories of both sets of brothers as part of National Adoption Week in a bid to find them their perfect forever families.
When they first arrived in foster care, Josh was late to walk and talk, and Ryan was withdrawn and nervous. But now both boys are thriving according to their foster carer. “Josh is only two but people think he is older because he’s so chatty,” she says.
“Ryan’s really smart, sometimes it really surprises me when he comes out with something and I think, ‘you’re really taking everything in’.”
Ryan says he wants to be a policeman, so he can “put the bad guys in jail”. Outside, later, the boys occupy themselves collecting conkers.
Spotting a dog, their faces light up.
“I’d like a dog like that one,” says Josh, pointing at a black Labrador.
Ryan nods enthusiastically and puts his arms round his little brother. It is heartbreaking these boys may be separated if they can’t find a home to take them together.
It’s similar for Nico and Jan, who have been living with dedicated foster carers for the past year. Before then Nico, three, who was born with health problems, had spent much of his life in hospital.
He is doing well now, and after one further operation doctors are hopeful he will no longer need to be tube fed.
Baby Jan, now 18 months, was eight-months-old when he arrived at his foster home – but only weighed the same as a four-month-old baby.
But thanks to the fantastic care, love and support they have received from their foster family, the brothers are now thriving and ready to be adopted. Their foster carer, who can’t be identified, explains: “You can see they’re like any other boys. If you could have seen them when they came to us, compared to now there’s a world of difference.
“They adore each other and are so happy together. We love having them, but they need to find a permanent family and I know that whoever adopts them will get so much joy from loving them.”
As they play, it is hard to believe they had a tough start.
Nico’s speech has been slowed but he picks up words easily now.
Both boys are a credit to the love and support of their foster carers. All they need now is the right adoptive family.
Their foster carer says: “They just need a loving family. We have loved them like they’re our own and that is all they need. They are lovely boys.
“They love going swimming, going to the park and riding their bikes, just like other children their age.
“They are so bubbly and it will be heartbreaking when they leave us, but we know they need their forever family.”
Huge reaction to Mirror's stories
There has been a huge response to the Mirror’s week of stories on children who need to find a forever family.
Gemma Gordon-Johnson of national service First4Adoption said: “We’ve received messages from around the world.” Call First4Adoption on 0300 222 0022 or see first4adoption.org.uk