Matching You With a Child

Linking and Matching

Once you are approved to adopt, your social worker will discuss with you Hampshire children who are currently waiting for adoptive families with a view to matching you.  The most important consideration in matching is in ensuring that the match is right for both the adopter and the child.  This can mean that there is often a wait between being approved and being matched.  

Once you are identified as having the potential to meet the needs of a particular child, your social worker will contact you to discuss the details. If you would like to find out more, you will be given written information, including medical and health information about the child.  You will also have the opportunity to meet with an adoption medical adviser to discuss any health issues the child may have and to meet with other professionals involved with the child, including the child’s foster carer. There will be discussions around the support, including financial support, that you may require to meet the needs of the child and your needs as an adoptive family.

If everyone wishes to proceed with this proposed match, then a meeting is held between all those involved before the match is presented to the Adoption Panel.  

If the match is recommended by the Panel and Hampshire's Agency Decision Maker approves the match, your social worker will commence the process of introducing you to the child.  This process will depend on the child/ren you are matched with and their needs.  

Waiting for a match

If you have been approved as a Hampshire adopter for three months, and have not been matched with a child, Hampshire will work with you to promote your approval more widely.

Hampshire County Council works as part of a consortium with other local authority adoption agencies (principally Surrey County Council and Oxfordshire County Council) and will promote your availability as adopters with our partners and at Adoption Exchange days where details of children and potential adopters are promoted more widely. Your details will be added to the National Adoption Register for England and Wales if you wish.