Ealing Council’s fostering service recently unveiled the ‘Mockingbird’ programme at a special event, introducing an innovative approach to strengthen support systems for foster carers and young people in care.
A foster carer has shared her enthusiasm for a groundbreaking new support network designed to create an ‘extended family’ for carers and the children they look after.
Ealing Council’s fostering service recently unveiled the ‘Mockingbird’ programme at a special event, introducing an innovative approach to strengthen support systems for foster carers and young people in care.
Stronger Support Through Connection
The programme establishes family-style networks known as ‘constellations’, consisting of six to ten foster carers and the young people in their care. Each constellation is anchored by a ‘hub home’, led by a ‘hub carer’ who provides vital support, guidance, and practical assistance to fellow carers and young people. This hub home is further supported by a liaison officer to ensure a structured and comprehensive support system.
One of the first hub carers in Ealing’s inaugural constellation is Nina Samuel, an experienced foster carer with more than two decades of service. Expressing her enthusiasm, she said: “I’m really excited about the Mockingbird programme because, after 24 years as a foster carer for the council, this gives us the chance to really get to know each other, to provide and receive support.”
“After 24 years as a foster carer for the council, this gives us the chance to really get to know each other, to provide and receive support.”
Nina Samuel, Foster carer
Building a Stronger Community
Constellations will facilitate regular social events, creating opportunities for foster families to bond and develop lasting relationships. Sleepovers will also be arranged to provide short breaks for carers while helping children feel part of a larger family network. In addition, training sessions and one-on-one support will be available to ensure that foster carers have access to the resources they need.
The Mockingbird programme is a key element of Ealing Council’s newly enhanced foster carer package, which features significant financial support, full council tax exemption, free parking in resident-controlled parking zones across the borough, fortnightly garden waste collection, and discounts on leisure activities. Additionally, carers will have access to extensive training opportunities, peer support groups, and dedicated therapeutic services from clinical psychologists.
A Step Forward for Foster Care
Councillor Josh Blacker, the council’s cabinet member for a fairer start, welcomed the launch, saying: “It’s a really important step for the fostering service, as we continue to strengthen the support for our carers and for our children and young people in care. It takes a town to raise a child, but not all our children and young people have that extended network around them, so it’s great to provide extra resilience for those in care as well as for all their carers.”
By implementing the Mockingbird programme, Ealing Council aims to create a more connected, supportive, and nurturing environment for foster families, ensuring that both carers and children thrive within a strong and resilient community.
