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Adoption

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Original poster

How long between matching and introductions...?

20 replies

tiredandsleepy · 20/01/2014 12:50

I know it's a 'how long is a piece of string...?' but can adopters tell me their experience of how long it took from matching panel to 1st day of introductions?

I need to give my employer some reassurance we'll have time to find someone to replace me and train them.

many thanks.

OP posts:

MyFeetAreCold · 20/01/2014 15:10

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrsballack · 20/01/2014 15:36

We had matching panel two weeks ago and are meeting our little ones on Thursday so not long at all really.

TrinnyandSatsuma · 20/01/2014 16:33

We had just under three weeks between panel and introductions. We delayed a few days to tie in with school timetable too.

As soon as we had a link, we worked on the assumption we would proceed to a yes at matching panel. NOT because we were certain it would happen, far from it.....I was convinced it wouldn't happen, but just because we had to begin making plans for work etc.

cedar12 · 20/01/2014 16:40

We had matching panel and started intros the next day! very quick but it fitted in foster carers and our commitments.

Hayleyh34 · 20/01/2014 16:43

15 days for us

Happiestinwellybobs · 20/01/2014 18:04

12 days from matching panel to meeting DD. I finished work on the Friday and we met her the following Monday.

I also worked on the assumption it would all be okay from initial meeting with DD's SW and FC. So we went through a recruitment process and told all applicants that any offer was based on us getting a yes at panel. When we got a yes at panel, I told work immediately. They contacted the successful candidate and she had a weeks handover with me.

Thebluedog · 20/01/2014 19:17

It takes 8 days for the matching decision to become final so introductions can be as early as the 9th day after panel. I've heard of this in a lot of cases.

In our case it was 2 weeks due to the foster carers being on holiday.

Whatutalkinboutwillis · 20/01/2014 20:09

Our son was actually moved to us as a foster child and we had intros over 8 days and the matching panel was on day 5 of intros. Was all very crazy but can all happen very quick! 17 days after approval too!

allthingswillpass · 20/01/2014 20:19

Our Link meeting to matching panel was 2 months.
We had a pretty good idea when intros were going to be soon after the link meeting, so that could the point that you give your work the possible heads up IMO.

Matching panel to intros 12 days.
Good luck

FamiliesShareGerms · 20/01/2014 21:03

Next day!

Whatu - that's incredible (even faster than us!)

Whatutalkinboutwillis · 20/01/2014 22:11

It was incredible we are 11 weeks into placement now still have to pinch myself to believe it happened. It was incredibly fast just waiting on his permanence order coming through so we can make the move to adopt him. I had all my hopes after being approved on having a child by march this year. Can't believe he was living here within 6 weeks of being approved! Very lucky

Original poster

tiredandsleepy · 21/01/2014 09:30

wow !

thank you v much for all the responses - keep 'em coming!

Am truly amazed that after SS take so long over the initial process it is all so fast at the end. I suppose that is good when both parties know of each other!

Apart from finding someone to replace me and train them I also have a 10yo birth DD who I cannot take out of school for 2 weeks, especially if we have to travel to FC's home.

Anyone have experience of taking birth children along / take them out of school?

thank you

OP posts:

Thebluedog · 21/01/2014 10:50

I took my birth dd out of school for introductions but she only came with us twice during the week, and then she was with us all of the weekend.

We met dd2 on our own for the first visit (a Monday) then took dd1 with us on the Tuesday and Thursday. I spoke to school beforehand and they couldn't have been more understanding and said we could have as much time as we needed. So after the introductions we took her out of school for the 2nd week she was placed with us so they could spend time playing, bonding and getting to know each other.

Moomoomie · 21/01/2014 11:06

It took 8 days from panel to meeting with dd3, longer with the older two girls.
Fortunately the FC lived close to us, so intros were much easier.
DH and I first met dd3 on Friday, dd1 and 2 came with us on the Saturday and Sunday.
Monday dh and i spent the day with dd3 at our home, we then took dd3 to school with us to pick the other two up.... That was fantastic!
Tuesday we took older two to school then went on to FC to bring dd3 home forever.
It was much more stressful with the intros for dd1 and 2.

TeenAndTween · 21/01/2014 11:46

We had about 3 weeks, but I stopped work a week before intros as I wanted to get out of 'work' mode into 'mummy' mode iysmim (used accrued annual leave).

SWs should be able to adjust a bit to meet needs of your existing BC. But is may be a lot easier to do intros with BC at school,than in holidays, as BC will be present for some intros but not all.

re training replacement. Will it need to be a new member of staff? I would think it good business practice to aim to have jobs coverable anyway. Is it not possible to train up an existing member of staff anyway to cover, so if there is only a short time there is someone who at least knows key elements? And/or write down important stuff now? (I know it depends on the type job involved)

Happiestinwellybobs · 21/01/2014 12:04

I started a handover file as soon as we got the call about DD - 2 months before she was placed. I put everything in there, and it was a bit of a bible for my cover.

Sadoldbag · 21/01/2014 14:36

One week for us is usually very soon after panel expect for summer holidays and Christmas

Hels20 · 21/01/2014 18:10

One week for us. But if it is about giving time to your employer, we knew panel date about a month before.

SWs wouldn't take you to matching panel unless they were 99% sure you would be successful.

2old2beamum · 21/01/2014 19:01

We went to matching panel went outside the room, waited ten minutes SW came out grinning met our beautiful DD half an hour later. We were incredibly lucky!!

Original poster

tiredandsleepy · 23/01/2014 11:17

Many, many thanks to all for your responses and advice.

I was not aware birth DCs were not part of every day of introductions. I suppose the idea is to firm up the link between child and parents, without other children for competition.

TeenAndTween thanks for suggestions but we're a 7-person firm and no one else does what I do, so it would have to be a replacement.

I will definitely start my manual as soon as we're approved!

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