Once the family finding process is complete and you have been matched with your child or children, the match will need to be agreed formally by the adoption panel for the child’s agency.

The adoption panel members of the child’s agency will read through all of the information in the adoption placement report and your Prospective Adopter’s Report in order to have all of the information they need to consider the match.

Part of the report is made up of an adoption support plan, which outlines the support which will be provided for you and the adopted child or children during the early stages as you get to know each other. You will be invited to attend the panel considering the match and your adoption social worker will support you through this.

If the adoption panel recommends approval for the match, the child’s adoption agency decision maker then makes the final decision about whether the match should go ahead.  Once this has been agreed you will then begin the exciting and thorough process of introductions leading to your child or children coming home to live with you.

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The introductions

Once the right child or children have been found for your family and the final decision to match is approved, then an adoption placement planning meeting is held. This meeting plans out in detail the introductions which will take place between you and your child(ren) so you can begin to get to know each other, and the actual detail of the introductions will be set out in the Adoption Placement Plan. This plan outlines all the support you will receive and when reviews of the placement will take place. It is there to make sure that you feel supported and the child is cared for as you go through this major change in your lives. Once everything is agreed, your child(ren) can come home to live with you.

If the initial meetings between you, the child(ren) and their foster carer have gone well, then the child will come and visit you in your home. These meetings will take place and build up over time, at a pace that is right for the child(ren) and for you, before they actually move in with you.

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Coming ‘HOME’

After all of the introductions have taken place you will be ready for the child to move in with you. Before this finally happens there will be a further planning meeting, which will review how the introductions have gone and how you are feeling about moving forward, and a decision will be made about whether it is right to continue with the proposed placement date.

If you would like to contact us to enquire about adoption, please call 0191 516 6466 or click the adoption enquiry button below and a member of the ARC Adoption team will contact you as soon as possible. 

Adoption enquiry