How Mockingbird is creating connection and community for foster carers, their families, and children in care in South Gloucestershire.
Fostering took a hit during the covid pandemic and the recovery period, resulting in rapid reduction of new foster carers coming forward, and an influx of experienced carers resigning. The pandemic highlighted a need for change within the fostering sector to ensure carers, their families and the children in care felt properly supported, especially during turbulent times.
Fast forward to 2025 and the fostering service at South Gloucestershire (Foster South Glos) is shining bright, thanks to its adoption of the Mockingbird Model.
What is Mockingbird?
Led by national charity, The Fostering Network, the Mockingbird programme is an innovative method of delivering foster care using an extended family model which provides sleepovers, peer support, regular joint planning and training, and social activities.
“We have a great sense of pride in how far we have come and how our hub has grown. We have built a community centred around our home where children feel safe and look forward to coming and spending time with us. We have worked hard to ensure that we and our home is a welcoming place for everyone in our Mockingbird family to gather and enjoy time together.” Hub Home Carer
Why is it working so well?
Mockingbird Liaison Officer, Lucy Robinson explains why it’s working so well.
“We launched our first Mockingbird constellation in 2023, which was a huge success,” says Lucy. “We’ve since launched two more, with our fourth and fifth on the way. After seeing the benefits for the families involved, we aim to have a constellation for every single fostering family.”
“Mockingbird creates ‘Constellations’, bringing together up to ten families under a single home hub. The home hub is the heart of the network and is led by an experienced foster carer – a home hub carer – who nurtures support networks between the families.
“The home hub carer organises family outings, provides sleep overs and is a consistent source of support. The foster carers are leading the way and evolving the fostering community”
Mockingbird impact
“Our Mockingbird Impact Report, covering April 2023 to December 2024, shows that our home hub carers have provided 278 mentoring and coaching sessions for foster carers. And, they’ve provided 165 sleepovers for children and young people to give carers a break or provide emergency care. As well as 665 hours of one-to-one support to families in their constellations.”
of carers said being part of Mockingbird had improved their fostering experience and prevented breakdowns
of satellite carers were ‘very satisfied’ with the support from their Hub
The rating of the support received from Mockingbird constellations by satellite carers
*46% of satellite carers completed the survey
“And, the families involved can’t speak highly enough of Mockingbird. They’ve benefited from 42 get-togethers, from days out to family pizza nights. And, with immediate access to intervention support from their hub home carer, family stability is improving, and the risk of placement breakdown has reduced. In fact, four of the 29 satellite households told us they would have resigned without this support.”
“Mockingbird is excellent. We’ve attended several events which have all been fantastic. Our young person sees going to Mandy’s [Home Hub Carer] as a treat. She organises monthly days out for everyone and evenings for just the adults. She is always on the end of the phone, and nothing is too much trouble. The get-togethers are invaluable for gathering advice.” – Tia, South Glos Foster Carer
A thriving fostering service
Thanks to programmes like Mockingbird, and its provision of therapeutic services through its WAYPOINT service, South Gloucestershire Council’s fostering service continues to go from strength to strength.
It’s bucking the trend of a national decline in foster carers. It reported its highest level of foster carer recruitment in 2024, increasing fostering households 15. And, in the same period, it retained all existing approved foster carers, with no resignations.
And it’s not gone unrecognised. The service achieved a Good rating following its latest Ofsted report, receiving glowing feedback from inspectors following a thorough review.
Fostering opportunities with Foster South Glos
We’re always looking for passionate foster carers for all types of fostering – short-term, long-term, emergency, stay-over care and specialist. Find out more about becoming a foster carer with us.
If you’re a registered foster carer, or already fostering, why not transfer to us to benefit from our Mockingbird program?
Looking for a new challenge? Find out about becoming a Mockingbird Home Carer for us.
