They may have experienced abuse or neglect, and have extra needs or uncertainties about their future development. But above all they are children who need stable, secure and loving families who will support them to reach their potential.
Matching you with our children
Matching is key to the long-term success of placements.
When we look for a family to match with a child or children, we consider the child's needs which allows us to find an adoptive family with the right skills and abilities to meet those needs.
How the matching works
To support our children to become your children, when we approach you about a match we will provide you with:
- detailed information about the child(ren) and their background, their health and development (including what contact arrangements are to remain in place with members of the birth family after adoption)
- opportunities for you to meet with their social worker and foster carer
- the opportunity for consultations with the agency medical adviser
- the opportunity to meet the child as a 'friend' of the current carer - known as a chemistry visit. This allows you to get to know the child without the pressure for you or them of being introduced as the new parent. Your social worker will discuss and support you with this process.
All of this will support you to make an informed decision about whether to go ahead with a proposed match.
If you and the social workers involved want to progress with the match, this will be presented to the Adoption Matching Panel.
Adoption Matching Panel
The Adoption Matching Panel will then make a recommendation about the proposed match, the Agency Decision Maker from the child’s local authority will make the decision about the match, considering reports presented to the adoption matching panel and panel recommendation.
Once the match is agreed, a period of introductions with you and the child will be planned during which you will be introduced to them as their adoptive parent(s).
During this time, you will have opportunity to spend increasing amounts of time with them getting to know their routines, etc, initially in the foster carer's home and then in your own home prior to the child(ren) moving in with you.
The timing and length of introductions varies depending on the needs and age of the child(ren) - during introductions your social worker will be in touch with you daily to check in with you about how you are feeling.