Together for Children launches innovative foster care model in Sunderland
Together for Children has launched a new foster care programme called Mockingbird.
The Mockingbird programme is an innovative method of delivering foster care using an extended family model - providing short breaks and sleepovers, social activities, peer support and regular joint planning and training, to better support children and their foster carers.
The model improves the stability of fostering placements and strengthens the relationships between children and young people, foster carers, birth families and fostering services through 'Constellations' - a group of 6-10 fostering families with a Hub Home Carer at the centre.
Together for Children will be one of only two fostering services in the North East currently implementing the Mockingbird family model.
Anth and Lesley from Sunderland, who are foster carers with Together for Children, will be taking on the Hub Home Carer role as part of the first Mockingbird constellation. They tell us: "When we first heard about Mockingbird, we were really excited as we thought 'that is what's missing right now'. What's missing from the current model of foster care is that contact with extended family - not just parents but grandparents and aunties and uncles too.
"We decided to take on the role of Hub Home Carers because it's an opportunity to support even more young people, their families, and their foster carers. Usually, we're supporting the children and young people who live with us - you don't usually get that family side.
"We've been foster carers for seven years now and taking on the Hub Home Carer role will be a fantastic opportunity for us to expand our skills, knowledge and experience, while continuing to provide care and support to children and young people."
Jill Colbert, our Chief Executive, tells us: "We're incredibly proud and excited to be launching Mockingbird today. The extended family model has the potential to transform the way that foster care is delivered in Sunderland.
"The model will provide cared for children with the experiences that many young people from non-fostering families might take for granted, such as extended family that we can spend time with, learn from and experience new things with.
"The model will also better support our foster carers with strengthened peer support through a structured network of fellow foster carers and will also give our dedicated foster carers a break when they need it, much like any parent or carer."
Cllr Louise Farthing, Portfolio Holder for Children's Services, said: "I'm delighted to be here today to celebrate the launch of Mockingbird within Together for Children. The Mockingbird extended family model is a fresh and innovative approach to foster care that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the lives of cared for children, foster carers and birth families in Sunderland by providing the right kind of support, in a way that works for them."
Anth and Lesley add: "What we're most looking forward to is getting to know the children properly. It's something you don't get with emergency respite or very short-term stays, whereas with Mockingbird, we'll really get to know the children - they'll become part of our family.
"Mockingbird, for children and young people, will provide security. It will also provide wider support and enable them to develop their own skills and confidence. As Hub Home Carers we'll be an ear to listen and someone they can talk to and be open and honest with.
"Our home will be somewhere the children know they're welcome and will be a place they can go to and belong. We'll still be here for them, even if they move on. We'll be a permanent fixture in their lives."
Jill adds: "As one of only two fostering services in the North East currently using the Mockingbird family model, we hope this will encourage those who've been thinking about becoming foster carers to consider doing so with Together for Children. Whilst foster care is incredibly rewarding for those who choose to look after children, we know it can be with its challenges too. This model will provide our foster carers with even more support, from a group of like-minded people who understand their experiences."
Find out more about becoming a foster carer with Together for Children or give our Fostering team on 0191 561 2223.
The Mockingbird model was originally developed by The Mockingbird Society in the USA in 2004. The Fostering Network - the UK's leading fostering charity - successfully piloted the Mockingbird Family Model in England in 2015-2016 in eight fostering services, with the support of the Department for Education's Children's Social Care Innovation Programme and The Mockingbird Society.
Together for Children is currently one of 39 partners implementing Mockingbird in the UK.
