CYP Now - Matching in foster care and how we can improve it

The process of “matching” children and young people in care to their foster carers is a pivotal moment in the care journey; a good “match” decision, process of sharing information, and process of moving into the household can help a child feel safe, loved, and happy. In the UK, the majority of children in care live in fostering households and are affected by matching.

Children and young people want to be part of the match decision-making process. Picture: Kaikoro/Adobe Stock

Report: Matching Foster Care Systemic Review

Published by: Centre for Evidence and Implementation (August 2021)

As a social science researcher, I’ve been particularly interested in matching in foster care since becoming a foster carer seven years ago. One of our first matches perhaps appeared an odd one on paper: a white, same-sex couple with a Muslim child of colour. Yet, there was a dearth of carers to match on faith or ethnicity in the geographical area needed, and we had experiences and strong communities of Muslim friends and BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) friends who were able to support our foster daughter with her faith and identity, until she could return to her birth family.

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