A new ‘Mockingbird’ programme has proved to be invaluable to the foster families involved.
Mockingbird, led by The Fostering Network in the UK, works by building a constellation of families, centred around one lead foster carer family hub, creating an extended family that can lean on each other for advice and support.
The model not only provides a network for fellow foster carers to turn to each other for advice it also gives the children and young people in foster care a chance to meet and socialise with each other, make new friends, and most importantly have fun.
Local foster carers Steve Collins who fosters with his wife Andrea and Dan Brown who is a solo carer told us about the difference this new approach has made to them.
Steve said; “My wife and I have been fostering for about 15 years now. We are the first home hub carers for the mockingbird group in Newcastle and we currently have eight families in the group we support.
“We do a lot of activities as a group, and we’ve recently been on holiday together for a couple of nights in Northumberland in a big house which was a lot of fun. There were 18 of us there, adults and children, and there was lots of walking, cooking, and lots of playing for the children.
“The kids have really developed with one another, and they have a special bond. The two children that we have in placement have commented that it makes being in care a lot better because they can talk to other children in the same situation.
“The benefits you get from Newcastle Council and the mockingbird project is great especially for new foster carers and over the last 12 months it has allowed us to support families who could have potentially had placement breakdowns.
Dan has been fostering for three and a half years and is one of the families who are part of Steve’s mockingbird group. He told us the benefits for fostering for him; “Mockingbird is very much a support network and has been described as a fostering family which is certainly how me and the children I look after have found it.
“The social events are a great opportunity to meet other carers and they are there for you when things can be difficult or confusing.
“The young person I am looking after now has really shifted his understanding of being in foster care, largely because he has spent a lot of time around other foster children. He’s been to Steve’s for sleepovers quite a lot and it’s helped to normalise care for him, and he’s really enjoyed meeting and socialising with other children in foster care so he knows he’s not the only one.”
For those thinking of becoming foster carers Dan’s advice is “It’s definitely worth doing and asking the questions. There are a lot of people who think they can’t foster because of their circumstances but if you are able to do it is brilliant and you really can see the benefits of the work you put in.”
Becoming a foster carer can be challenging but this new innovative programme focuses on bringing foster carers together to support each other and the children in their care. It consists of a hub home foster carer, liaison social worker and up to 10 satellite carers who work together to create an extended family model known as the mockingbird constellation.
Cllr Lesley Storey, Cabinet Member for a Growing City, Newcastle City Council said: “Our foster carers play an invaluable role by providing a secure and loving home for children and young people who are unable to live with their birth families. The mockingbird model works on the concept of ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and the positive impact of this innovative approach shows our commitment to building a network of friendly, effective support for both our foster carers and the children they care for.”
Children might come into care for a number of reasons from abuse or neglect or due to having a disability or complex needs that their family cannot cope with. The one thing all these children and young people have in common is the need for care and support.
Visit our fostering webpages to find out more about fostering for Newcastle City Council.