Linking and matching - how long?

[FreesiaPeppermint]

How long did it take for you from when a child was first mentioned to you to them moving in? Did SWs indicate this timeframe to you or were you expecting for things to move more quickly? I appreciate that it's a bit of a 'piece of string' question and that every situation will be different, but it would be good to get a rough idea.

We're hoping to adopt through the LA - I'm assuming the linking/matching process would generally take longer via Linkmaker if multiple LAs are involved?

Our SW has shown us two profiles since we were approved - one earlier this year, saying they wanted to move the child "as soon as possible", which we tried to play our part in and make decisions quickly, be available for meetings every day etc. Unfortunately, the link fell through way before matching panel, but even at that point, it seemed that the whole process would have taken around 6-7 months. There was talk of another child who should be moved within three months now, but no papers have been exchanged yet - one month is over already and linking def won't start before the holidays now, so realistically, we couldn't see the child moving before spring even if everything went smoothly.

This is not to complain, but to try and make sure we have realistic expectations. We're looking for a very young child for various reasons, and it would be good to know if we should really consider a 2-year-old moving in when a 15-month-old is being presented to us as this would likely change the children we can realistically consider...

Thank you. 🙂

For us, it was was 4.5 months from first seeing a profile to starting intros. No there families were considered for our little one. It would have been faster had it not been for the foster cater slowing things down a couple of times by cancelling key appointments like the medical.
Things may be slower with Covid I assume.

Ours was 5 months from first seeing the profile to children moving in. We were via Linkmaker and across 2 local authorities which were 200 miles apart (so meetings etc were tricky to arrange. I think ours moved as quickly as it could all things considered.

Less than 3 months. Matched before approval. If I remember correctly matching panel was two weeks before intros. We were with a VA, 2 sibs…considered hard to place (but no major issues). They were about 2 hours away from us. But there was no covid, no outstanding issues, court or otherwise, we were very flexible for meetings etc. - everyone really focused and the kids SW was brilliant as was the FCs social worker. I think we struck lucky with matching and everyone was in the right place at the right time - approval was a different matter with loads of delays.

We first saw our kids profile mid August, matching panel beginning november, meant to move in January 10th but moved in on monday ☺️

Thank you, @TheBareTree, @Jellycatspyjamas and @Whatthechicken! Really helpful.

In our two cases, which were/are both very early on, there weren't any issues with courts or similar (yet), but just the very ordinary and understandable, yet frustrating cases of someone being on annual leave, someone's manager not getting round to signing off a paper, no-one available to take minutes at a meeting etc.

I'm reassured to read that your matching didn't take as long as ours seemed set to! Makes me hopeful that next time the SWs say they're expecting it to take x months, it won't necessarily be double, and we won't have to adjust the age of children we might be a good match for just yet. 😅

Of course, also thanks to you, @claireb7rg! Posted at the same time. I had seen your news on the other thread - congrats again! 😊

@Whatthechicken, I hear you on approval being slow - it's 4.5 yrs since we first got in touch with the LA...

We were linked in about July and they came home in October, pre covid…

@FreesiaPeppermint

Of course, also thanks to you, *@claireb7rg*! Posted at the same time. I had seen your news on the other thread - congrats again! 😊

Thank you!

Hope you get some good news soon!

Linked early July, moved in the first week in October.

The whole process was 1 week short of a year from our first appointment to moving in.

Thank you, @Notmenotme and @Ohdoleavemealone! Very helpful.

@Ohdoleavemealone, that sounds exceptionally fast, wow! Did you enter the process for a specific child, if you don't mind me asking?

@claireb7rg, thanks for your wishes!