This report is a practice guide that draws upon the evidence obtained from a Department for Education-funded study of matching practice in adoption services.
Key findings
The report identifies lessons from agencies that were placing children relatively quickly and develops a new approach to matching that incorporates these, in order to deliver training and to produce a practice guide. The paper describes how a regional approach to matching was developed based on these principles. In addition the guide gives the psychological basis for personalised matching based on an individual’s particular characteristics of risks, strengths and needs and discusses the importance of high quality linking and matching in creating a family for life.