Matching Process: How Agencies Decide and How You Can Say No

Thinking about saying yes (or no) to a placement can feel like the biggest decision you’ll make as a foster carer. The good news is that matching isn’t guesswork. In England, the process is shaped by law, statutory guidance and the National Minimum Standards, all designed to put the child’s welfare first and to make sure any placement is safe and sustainable for everyone in your household.

What “matching” really means (and why it matters)

Matching is the careful process of aligning a child’s needs with a carer’s skills, household, approval terms and support network. At its core is the welfare principle: decisions must prioritise the child’s safety, wellbeing and development, while also taking account of their wishes and feelings, religious persuasion, racial origin, culture and linguistic background. That isn’t optional—it’s embedded in the legislation and guidance that govern fostering.

The legal and policy frame you should know

• Children Act 1989 & statutory guidance (Volume 4): sets out roles and responsibilities in fostering, including how authorities should plan and review placements.
• Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010: prescribe how placements must be planned and what the placement plan must cover.
• Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards (NMS)—especially Standard 15 on matching: a placement should only be suggested where the carer can reasonably meet the child’s assessed needs and the impact on the carer’s household has been considered. If there are gaps, the plan should set out the extra support or training required.

How agencies build the shortlist

When a local authority (LA) or regional hub sends a referral, placement teams move fast—but there’s a consistent behind-the-scenes checklist.

1) Reading the referral well

Referrals typically summarise the child’s history, immediate risks, health, education, contact arrangements, identity and any court directions. Agencies use this to identify needs (for example: school transport, supervision during contact, support with regulation and routines). Good practice is clear: successful matching depends on robust assessment, clear support planning and thorough information-sharing.

2) Filtering for essentials

From the first scan, coordinators filter by:

• Approval terms (age range, numbers, placement type) and whether a spare room is available.
• Household composition (other children, pets, smoking status).
• Location factors (school run, contact venue, sibling proximity).
• Experience/training (e.g., therapeutic fostering, PACE, complex health needs).

Regulations and standards expect agencies to suggest a carer only where they can reasonably meet identified needs, and to consider impact on those already living in the home.

3) Checking risk and support

If there’s a partial fit, the agency looks at what would make it safe and workable: extra respite, an enhanced supervision plan, specific training, or a short transition. If a gap remains, NMS 15 is clear—the placement plan must set out the additional support required; otherwise, it shouldn’t be progressed.

The information you should receive before you decide

You can’t make a sound decision without the basics. The Care Planning Regulations require a placement plan that covers day-to-day care, contact, education and health arrangements, along with roles and responsibilities. In emergencies, if the plan can’t be finalised beforehand, it must be done within five working days. In practice, you should receive a clear referral pack and a planning conversation that walks you through the essentials below.

What’s typically in a good referral/placement pack

• Needs & risks: current behaviours, triggers, any history of going missing, exploitation concerns, and safety plans.
• Identity & culture: language, faith, dietary needs, and how they’ll be supported.
• Education: school details, transport plan, who liaises with the Virtual School.
• Health: GP/dentist status, immunisations, CAMHS position, medication.
• Contact: frequency, venue, who supervises, travel arrangements, and costs.
• Legal context: care order details, any restrictions, review timescales.

The statutory guidance also stresses that carers need information about family background and why the child is looked after—without that clarity, it’s difficult to plan day-to-day care and boundaries.

How the decision is made: step-by-step

1) The matching call

A placement officer (or supervising social worker) will summarise the referral, confirm your approval terms, check availability and discuss household dynamics. Expect straight questions about school runs, bedroom space, pets, work patterns, and your support network.

2) Follow-up in writing

You should receive the referral information in writing (with identifying details handled appropriately). Use this to make your own pros/cons list and questions.

3) Multi-agency discussion

LA social worker, your supervising social worker (SSW), and sometimes the Virtual School or health lead will confer on risks and supports. If a gap is identified (say, limited school transport capacity), they should agree what support the LA or IFA will provide and record this in the plan, as NMS 15 expects.

4) Introductions (when time allows)

For planned moves, best practice is to offer introductions (at home, school or a neutral setting) before the move. This helps everyone test the fit and reduce first-night anxiety. Agency procedures mirror this across the sector.

5) Placement planning meeting & the plan itself

At, or immediately after, the point of agreement, a placement planning meeting ties down who does what, when and how. If it’s an emergency and you had to make a swift decision, the plan must be completed within five working days. Keep your copy; it’s your map for the first weeks.

How to assess a referral (a practical checklist)

Fit with your approval and home

• Age/number of children within your approval? Bedroom available and suitable?
• Any reasons a short-term “bridging” arrangement is being proposed?

Daily life and logistics

• Transport for school and contact: who drives, mileage claim, time out of your workday?
• After-school clubs, tutoring, or supervision needs.

Support and safety

• Clear plan for known risks (e.g., missing episodes, county lines grooming, online safety).
• Respite availability; out-of-hours contact; therapeutic support plan if trauma indicators are present.

These are not “nice-to-haves”—they’re part of lawful planning and the NMS Standard 15 expectation that the service only proposes carers who can reasonably meet needs with the identified support in place.

Saying no: your rights and good practice

Here’s the key point: you can say no. Matching must respect your approval terms, household safety and capacity. Pressure to accept when essential ingredients aren’t in place is contrary to the spirit of the standards.

When saying no is appropriate

• Outside your approval (for example, age range or numbers) without a clear, time-limited plan and explicit agreement from decision-makers.
• Information gaps that prevent safe care (e.g., serious risk indicators with no plan).
• Impact on household not properly considered (birth children’s needs, pets, shared bedrooms), which NMS 15 requires agencies to assess.

How to decline well (and keep the relationship positive)

• Acknowledge the child’s needs and explain precisely which elements make it unworkable right now (transport, contact schedule, missing safety plan, etc.).
• Offer conditions for a future yes (e.g., if transport is funded; if CAMHS handover is confirmed; after specific training).
• Document the decision—send a brief follow-up email summarising your concerns. This helps your SSW evidence responsible practice.

Will saying no affect you?

Agencies should not penalise carers for reasonable refusals. The standards are explicit that matching must be needs-led and consistent with the carer’s approval and household circumstances. Professional, child-focused decisions—yes or no—are part of safe practice.

Emergency and short-notice placements

Sometimes a child needs somewhere tonight. Emergency placements compress steps, but the legal duties don’t disappear. If a full plan can’t be prepared before the move, the placement plan should be completed within five working days and should still set out day-to-day care, contact, health and education arrangements. If you’re considering an emergency yes, use a short written agreement to record non-negotiables (supervision levels, who transports, first review date).

What a good “yes” looks like

Clear, written plan

You have a current placement plan (or a firm timetable to finalise it within five working days in emergencies) that covers: daily routines, delegated authority, contact logistics, school transport, health appointments, finances/allowances, recording expectations and the first review date.

Risk and support stitched in

Risks are named, control measures are listed, and support is actually booked (not just promised)—for example, a mentoring service, travel funding, or therapeutic check-ins. That meets the NMS 15 expectation of filling any gap between needs and capacity.

Everyone knows who does what

Contact supervisors, Virtual School leads, your SSW, and the child’s social worker all have tasks and dates. You have a number to call out-of-hours and clarity on when the first review meeting will check progress.

Ten smart questions to ask before you decide

1. What are the top three risks and how are we managing each from day one?
2. How many hours of education support or travel are expected of me weekly?
3. What’s the contact plan and who supervises it?
4. Which allowances/expenses (mileage, equipment, activities) are covered and at what rates?
5. What’s the plan if school placement breaks down?
6. What respite is available in the first three months?
7. What does the Virtual School expect from me, and who attends the first PEP?
8. What is delegated to me under delegated authority, and what needs social worker sign-off?
9. What training or coaching can I access specific to the child’s profile?
10. If this is an emergency, when is the placement planning meeting (within five working days) and who writes up the plan?

When things don’t go to plan

If new information emerges after the move (it happens), ask for a review meeting and an updated plan. Under the standards, agencies should respond quickly to secure additional support or consider alternative arrangements where a placement no longer meets assessed needs. Ofsted has highlighted in its research that information quality and early support are decisive in placement stability—don’t hesitate to escalate through your SSW if promised supports aren’t materialising.

Final word

Matching isn’t about saying yes as often as possible—it’s about saying yes safely. The framework in England backs you up: statutory guidance, the Care Planning Regulations, and NMS Standard 15 require proposals to be needs-led, within your approval and household capacity, and underpinned by a clear plan. Ask for the information you need, expect support to be written into the plan, and remember that a careful “no” is sometimes the most child-centred decision you can make.

Key sources for further reading:

• Children Act 1989: fostering services (Volume 4 statutory guidance, DfE).
• Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 (Regulations & Schedule 2: placement plans).
• Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards (Standard 15: matching).
• Ofsted report: Matching in foster care (insights on what stabilises placements).