Fostering hub support (Mockingbird)

We want to ensure that all our foster carers are totally supported. Mockingbird Family Model helps to improve placement stability for foster children and improve the support provided to foster carers. These are constellation networks of 6-10 families, providing children and their foster carers with support, shared social activities, sleepovers and the opportunity for everyone to build long lasting relationships.

It takes a village to raise a child

Why Mockingbird?

At Wiltshire Council, we believe in providing the best service possible for our foster carers and the children they care for. We are proud to be working with The Fostering Network to have set up our first Mockingbird constellation and will be launching further constellations in 2025.

The biggest benefit has been the support network that has developed between the carers. Everyone is supportive, understanding and friendly.

How does it support our foster carers and the children they care for?

Each constellation centres around a hub home carer - an experienced foster carer who provides support and guidance as well as day care and planned sleepovers for children and young people living with satellite families. The hub home carer can also provide emergency sleepovers when times are tough.

I'm very proud to be the hub carer for Wiltshire Council and Mockingbird is like having an extended family. The satellite families are truly lovely, and we all have a lot to give in our fostering journey.

Nikki - Hub Home Carer

Further information about Mockingbird can be found here:

What is Mockingbird? (youtube.com)

Mockingbird: A really big family - YouTube

The Mockingbird programme | The Fostering Network