The role of pre-meets in the formation of families through adoption: the perspectives of adoption social work managers, adoptive parents, and foster carers

Pre-meets—interactions between children and prospective adoptive parents prior to formal match approval—represent a growing yet under-researched practice in UK adoption. Traditionally, initial meetings occur after formal approval during an intensive introductions period; pre-meets offer an alternative approach. However, the nature, rationale, and significance of these interactions remain largely unexplored in academic literature. Utilising semi-structured interviews with adoption social work managers across all five Welsh adoption regions and an interpretive phenomenological approach with adoptive parents and foster carers, the research explored: (1) how pre-meets are conducted, (2) their theoretical underpinnings and contextual development, (3) their perceived benefits and challenges, and (4) the meanings adoptive parents and foster carers attach to pre-meets. Interviews with adoptive parents were conducted at three time points, enabling an exploration of the evolving meanings attributed to pre-meets from prior to the meeting to approximately ten months after the child’s placement in their adoptive family. Key findings revealed that pre-meets are becoming increasingly common and that the practice is diverse and evolving. Participants frequently associate pre-meets with relationship-building, enhancing confidence in a match, and helping prospective parents transition into their role as the child’s adoptive parents. Pre-meets also provide an opportunity for prospective adopters to withdraw from a match if necessary, reducing the likelihood of complications later in the process. This practice supports adoptive parents in having agency within the matching process. Additionally, pre-meets reassure foster carers about the match and help them emotionally prepare for the child’s transition. However, adoption managers expressed ongoing concerns regarding children’s preparation for adoption, including within the context of pre-meets. This research offers new insights into the evolving landscape of adoption matching practices. It underscores the complexity and emotional weight of early interactions between prospective adopters and children, advocating for a more consistent and well-supported approach to pre-meets.