# Time Between Linking Meeting and Matching Panel



## Loopylou41 (Apr 26, 2011)

Hi

I wonder if you can give me some guidance here.  We met with Medical Advisor and FC last night for our little pink and we are over the moon with her and the fact they want us to adopt her.  Our SW has arranged a linking/Selection meeting for 5th Oct with transition training on the 6th and matching panel on the 16th November.  

If the selection meeting goes well, which we really hope it does, can anything go wrong between selection meeting and matching panel?  We have a BD and our SW keeps saying don't tell her anything until after matching panel but the thing is if we meet little pink just 2 weeks after matching panel that isn't much time for our BD to get her head around having a little baby sister (she is 10), she needs to be prepared of the change and drip fed information so she can ask questions and talk about any worries she has.  Also, our SW keeps saying no xmas tree when little pink comes home, but we can't not have one when we have a BD which is a little annoying.  Little pink would be 6 months when she comes home.  Even the support worker for FC said of course you can have a tree and little pink's SW said it was no problem to her.  

Any advice would be great?  Feel like I can't get excited yet because our SW keeps putting dampners on it.  Thanks in advance.


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## Beckyboo3 (Jan 18, 2011)

Hi
Think all LA's do it differently but we met with SW on 14th August and got told the next day we had been selected for the match. Due to holidays we met Medical Advisor and Foster Carer 2nd/3rd September.  The family finding team and SW's ( not us) met on Friday 4th September and officially confirmed everyone was happy to proceed with the Match. So next stage for us was Matching Panel 22nd September. 

We have a birth son who is seven years old, we told him before Matching Panel as we had to decorate the bedroom and do all the Intro material which he was involved in - photos, DVD and talking bear !! also like your daughter we had to drip feed a lot of information and give him a chance to ask questions. 

I think after the Selection Meeting if everyone was happy you could tell her ? And Christmas might be low key this year but definitely a Christmas tree ! We were told at our Planning Meeting for introductions that we couldn't do anything exciting with her that week  

Beckyboo x


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## Loopylou41 (Apr 26, 2011)

Thanks Beckyboo, that sounds good.  I think after the selection meeting has taken place we will start to talk to her then.  I am guessing they must be pretty sure about us to proceed after that and although it is a long wait to matching panel it will give us time to decorate and buy furniture.  When we went to our panel to adopt they were quite disappointed that we didn't have a match with a child as it seemed they were very keen for us to adopt and came to a unanimous decision within a few minutes for us to proceed.  The manager actually said find them a child quickly...lol.

I guess because it has been such a looooonnnnggg process I am hesitant. 

It is quite difficult to have a very calm time isn't it with a BC in the house, you can't not celebrate for their sake and as it is a baby I think it will be OK.  Sometimes I think SWs are a bit OTT with stuff.  It isn't like we have wild parties at Christmas.

How did your BS take to a little one coming into the house initially?  Feel free to message me if you would rather.  Any advice would be great.

Thanks
L
x


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## Beckyboo3 (Jan 18, 2011)

Hi
Yes does seem a long process at times ! Yes some SW's seem to be very old school !

Our introductions were suppose to start this week but have been delayed by two weeks so we don't start to Monday 19th October but will message you to let you know how they go ! Our son is very excited at the moment, we have involved him a lot in choosing bits for her room and we made him a little timetable as well so he knows what's happening in Introduction week. The Foster Carer lives just over a hour from us, so family will be helping us with school run etc and he knows what days he will see his sister. 

I know what you mean about being excited, it's only just now that I feel it's going to happen - I had to wait for the official confirmation and planning meeting before it felt real ! 

Good luck with your match and hope it goes quick for you x


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## Loopylou41 (Apr 26, 2011)

Wow, how exciting for you.  Let me know how it goes and wishing you lots of luck.
L
x


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