Matching panel tomorrow...

[poppet31]

And I'm suddenly feeling very nervous indeed! Anyone who has followed my earlier threads will know that at approval panel, we were deferred by the ADM first time around so it's been a bumpy journey.

Matching has been a breeze. Linked immediately after approval, have met little one, all professionals at child appreciation day very supportive of the match. But because of what happened before, I just can't help but think it will all go wrong.

Tell me your matching panel stories please. Would love to hear other people's experience of how it went on the day. Xx

We were approved and matched on the same day as we adopted our foster child. We took him in with us and he charmed them all so much that they forgot to ask us anything !
I will have my fingers crossed that it goes smoothly and no more hiccups. Really it is a formality at this stage.
I will think of you tomorrow and send all the positive vibes I can muster. Let us know how it goes please x

It will all be fine! Congratulations on the match!

I was so nervous for matching panel, but I found it a really nice experience.

We were asked the usual ‘how do you think you can meets the needs of the children’. Lots of questions about us and anything that may have cropped up before. But I think you will really be fine. You are invested now and probably thought of nothing else other than this match...so you will probably find the answers just roll off your tongue.

The positive thing about having any hiccups leading to approval panel is that everything has already been double checked and cross referenced giving the matching panel confidence in you.

I really enjoyed matching, it was so lovely to talk about the children and everything that we had learned about them. What I didn’t know was that they go around the table there and then (whilst you are there) saying whether they approved or not...this was a shock to me, luckily all worked out. We went for a pub lunch afterwards to celebrate. Good luck and try to enjoy it! x

The funny thing is, once you move past these set pieces, they are easy to forget.

(we are 2 weeks into placement now - and I cannot even remember my PIN number).

We preferred our matching panel to approval (different counties).

Obviously felt nervous - and of course for matching there is an actual 'child' rather than generic future children.

I don't think there were as many questions.

What I was not ready for was a 45 minute wait from our start time,. Our panel started at the appropriate time, but the first 45 mins was all the professionals before we got called in.

We went back in to get the result (although you didn't have to).

Compared to approval, where we had to wait for the ADM, this was better.

The funny thing is, once you move past these set pieces, they are easy to forget.

Yep, they are huge at the time but looking after kids takes up a lot of space and stuff fades.

I'm very hesitant to say it will be easy after the frustrations of your first one, but it should be.

Thank you everyone, it means a lot to read your comments. We have a three hour train ride in the morning so time to read over all the paperwork etc. Book and teddy packed, hair washed, good to go!

I was so happy when I handed over "the book"

Fingers crossed!!

Good luck today 🍀. Sending you best wishes xx

Good luck @poppet31

Thanks everyone. We got a unanimous approval at panel today. Everyone was lovely and they said it was an easy decision to make

For future reference for anyone going through the same thing, we got asked questions on the following:

• how we'd found our matching journey
• what drew us to our little one
• how we would talk to them about their life story
• what we were looking forward to most
• what the perceived challenges were
• what we learned from meeting foster carer/ medical adviser
• what I was going to do to keep myself well (as I've had anxiety in the past)

Huge Congratulations! x

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

Oh great news. Congratulations x

👍