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The Mockingbird Family Model 

What is The Mockingbird Family Model?
The Mockingbird Family Model is a new way to support foster carers and young people. It helps to build relationships between children, young people, and foster families. It supports them to build a resilient and caring community through a community of 6 to 10 families (called a constellation), led by an experienced and knowledgeable foster carer (called a hub home carer).
Older woman holding hands with a young boy and girl as they walk through a forest.
How does The Mockingbird Family Model help foster carers?

The model provides foster carers with support from their peers, in a non-judgemental way. They get help and support that improves their wellbeing, role satisfaction, retention, and, most importantly, placement stability. They can call on each other when they need help and have access to 24-hour support in a crisis. This approach strengthens relationships between foster carers and their children, through shared activities, and improves social networks for everyone.

How does The Mockingbird Family Model support children and young people?

Being part of a wider community, children and young people in care report being less isolated and helps them to make friends. They have a greater sense of belonging because of an increased number of fostering families who they get to know within their local area. It can also result in fewer disruptions for children and young people and fewer carers resigning which provides more stability and better long-term outcomes. 

Through this approach we also try to support children and young people to stay close to their friends and families, and wherever possible, to help them stay within fostering families when previously they may have ended up in a residential care placement that did not meet their needs.

Take a look at this animation to discover how young people feel about the support from Mockingbird.

Want to know more about the Mockingbird Family Model?

Visit the Fostering Network website for more information: Mockingbird Programme | The Fostering Network.