 83 Matching considerations 4.4. Making a good match between a child and prospective adopter is a highly skilled task and is vital for both the child and the prospective adopter. The social worker has to consider a range of issues: meeting the child’s identified needs; the parenting skills of the prospective adopter; working quickly to avoid the damaging effect of delay and using the agency’s resources effectively. But by being informed by research, being realistic and consider a prospective adopter who can meet most of the child’s identified needs, and seeking families in-house, from other adoption agencies – local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies (VAAs) - consortia, and the Adoption Register will put the child in an excellent position of being placed quickly with a new, safe and loving family. If the prospective adopter can meet most of the child’s needs, the social worker must not delay placing a child with the prospective adopter because they are single, older than other adopters or does not share the child’s racial or cultural background. Social workers also need to consider how the prospective adopter’s parenting capacities can be supported and developed alongside the child’s changing needs. Time is not on the side of the child and a delay in placing a child with a new family can damage their development, contribute to further emotional harm, reduce their chances of finding a permanent family10 or increase the chance of adoption breakdown. One research study found that the chances of being adopted reduced by nearly a half for every year of delay. For an exploration of the key issues related to family finding and matching, see the research An investigation into linking and matching in adoption. 4.5. There are many people who wish to adopt – including tho