An exploration and development of matching practices

This work funded by the Department for Education is part of a much larger project being undertaken by BAAF. The project is designed to identify good practice, test innovative methods of matching such as Adoption Activity days and DVD profiling of adopters and produce materials that will guide practitioners in making difficult decisions. Materials being produced include a DVD and good practice guides.

Specifically, the Hadley centre will contribute to the project by ensuring the good practice guides are evidence based. University of Bristol staff will also facilitate professional learning sets in two local authorities. The objective in the learning sets is to enable groups of about eight social workers or other relevant professionals to meet on a regular basis to discuss their professional views and experiences of the matching process in adoption. The groups will consider the practice knowledge that social workers currently draw upon to make a match between a child and an adoptive family. They will also provide an opportunity to reflect and consider the evidence base for decision-making.

Funder: Department for Education.