How is a foster to adopt family matched with a child?

A foster to adopt family is matched with a child through a coordinated assessment of the child’s needs, the family’s approved status and the likelihood that the placement could become permanent. The match is considered before the child’s court proceedings have concluded, so the proposed family must be able to care for the child as foster carers while also being assessed as prospective adopters.

The process usually begins with approval. The family is assessed for fostering and adoption, which includes checks, references, health information, training and an assessment of their ability to meet a child’s needs. Their circumstances are considered in detail, including their home, relationships, support network, work commitments, experience of caring for children and ability to manage uncertainty. Approval does not guarantee that a child will be placed with them, but it establishes the type of placement they may be suitable for.

The child’s social worker and family-finding professionals then identify families whose circumstances may meet the child’s needs. Foster to adopt placements are often considered for babies or very young children where the local authority is exploring adoption as the child’s likely permanence plan. However, the child’s future is not certain at this stage. The court may still decide that another arrangement, such as returning to birth family or living with relatives, is appropriate.

Information considered during matching can include:

• the child’s age, health, development and day-to-day care needs;
• the child’s family history, identity, ethnicity, religion, language and cultural background;
• any known or possible impact of birth family circumstances, including prenatal experiences or early trauma;
• the child’s relationships with brothers and sisters, and whether siblings need to be placed together or maintain contact;
• the child’s existing attachments and any important relationships that should be protected;
• the carers’ experience, skills, parenting approach and ability to meet additional needs;
• the family’s ability to support the child’s identity and maintain appropriate links with significant people; and
• the practical suitability of the home and the support available to the carers.

Some information may be incomplete when a foster to adopt placement is proposed, particularly where the child is very young or circumstances have developed quickly. Carers should be given all relevant information that is known, including medical and developmental information, the reasons adoption is being considered and any identified risks. They should have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss what further information may become available.

The proposed match is reviewed by the relevant professionals. This may involve the child’s social worker, the family’s assessing social worker, adoption or fostering representatives and other specialists. They consider whether the placement can meet the child’s immediate needs and whether the carers could provide continuity if the court authorises adoption. The family should be told about the proposed care plan, likely legal steps, contact arrangements with birth relatives and the support available.

Unlike a standard adoption placement, a foster to adopt placement normally takes place under fostering arrangements while the court makes decisions about the child’s future. The family therefore needs to understand both roles: they will provide everyday foster care, but may also be preparing to become the child’s adoptive parents. Adoption is not automatic, and the placement must remain focused on the child’s welfare rather than on the carers’ expectations.

Before the child moves in, professionals may agree an introduction plan where circumstances allow. The plan can cover who will bring the child to the home, what equipment is needed, medical appointments, feeding and sleep routines, contact with birth family, recording information and who to contact if concerns arise. For a very young child or an urgent placement, the transition may be shorter and more information may be gathered after the placement begins.

Carers should use the matching discussions to check whether the placement is right for their family. Important questions include:

• What is known about the child’s health, development and family background?
• What assessments or medical information are still outstanding?
• What is the current legal plan, and what alternative outcomes remain possible?
• How will birth family contact be arranged and reviewed?
• What help is available if the child has needs that were not known before placement?
• How will the family be supported during court proceedings and any later transition?

A successful match is not based on finding a family that appears perfect on paper. It is based on making a properly informed decision about whether the carers can offer safe, consistent care for this particular child, while recognising that the legal outcome may change. Families should receive clear information, time to consider the proposal where possible and an opportunity to discuss any concerns before accepting the placement.