Brighton and Hove’s Mockingbird project
The Mockingbird family model is based around the concept that 'it takes a village to raise a child’. Learn more about this new way to deliver foster care.
About Mockingbird
Mockingbird is a Fostering Network licensed national program with carers across the country forming close-knit communities locally. Being part of the Mockingbird project is like being part of an extended family. It works on the principle ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, and that having several caring adults greatly improves the experience of living away from birth parents.
The objective of the Mockingbird is to create a community of support for children in foster care and their foster carers. The model’s structure is designed to address specific systemic gaps found to be particularly damaging to children and young people in care including active safeguarding, placement stability, sibling contact and birth family involvement.
Consistency and familiarity
Continuity of care is one of Mockingbird’s underpinning principles. Hub home carers ensure the routines of the children and young people are kept consistent, regardless of where they're staying.
Stability and support
This familiarity improves the quality of sleepovers and day care for the child and the support offered to the foster carers. This can and does lead to relationships being maintained which may otherwise have broken down.