Mockingbird uses the concept of a dedicated ‘hub home’ of specially recruited and trained carers offering respite care, peer support, regular joint planning and social activities to a ‘constellation’ of six to 10 families of foster and kinship carers living in close proximity.

The Mockingbird Family Model has been shown to be a successful way to improve outcomes for looked-after-children in the US. It uses the concept of a dedicated ‘hub home’ of specially recruited and trained carers offering respite care, peer support, regular joint planning and social activities to a ‘constellation’ of six to 10 families of foster and kinship carers living in close proximity.

The State of the Nation’s Foster Care, based on a survey of over 1,000 foster carers, found that:

London Fostering Achievement is inviting young people living with foster families who are members of The Fostering Network to share their artwork with us by entering our exciting new competition: The Transition Project! 

The award ceremony is held annually to recognise the work of foster carers and kinship carers, and last year inspirational couple Margaret and Jackie McCarragher were presented with their foster carer of the year award by Michelle McIlveen MLA, who hosted the event in the Great Hall in the Northern Ireland Assembly.