On Sunday evening 10 fostering families came together, along with Hull Fostering staff to celebrate the first six months of the Mockingbird Family Model in Hull.
Between 5.30 – 7pm on Sunday 25 September, whilst 18 young people had the best hour burning some energy on the trampolines at Gravity, Hull, 10 fostering families celebrated being Hull Fostering’s first Mockingbird Family and were presented with awards in recognition for their generosity, support, and continual care to one another.
Mockingbird is a unique programme, that brings together up-to 10 fostering families to offer mutual support, respite, and stability to one-another, building a family style relationship between them all who they can confidentially rely upon when support is needed.
Group Manager for Hull Fostering, Jayne Betts, said; “The Mockingbird model in essence matches up-to 10 foster families together, providing a family style relationship, meeting up, organise day trips out together, sleepovers and offer support to one another like a typical extended family would.
One of our carers, Lisa said; “These people came into my life only a year ago as strangers and now I call them my family. Being a foster carer is unique and having a fostering family made up of carers to lean upon when needed is enormously helpful.
“When one of us is needing support, is poorly or requires some respite, I know someone within my Mockingbird family will come to my rescue. Our foster children regularly play together, we go out for day trips and arrange sleepovers, the children do not class these sleepovers as respite, instead it’s a sleepover with their mates, which is how it should feel.
“Whenever other foster children come to my house, it feels so natural, they open my fridge, change the TV channel go and play with my children, because they have become genuine friends.
Another carer, Heather, said; In just one year, us adults have helped each other out so many times, wrapping our arms around the ones who are having a bad time and cheered on those who are doing well. I am so proud of the Mockingbird Family and would encourage any other foster carers to join a Mockingbird family. It’s like they’ve known each other forever.
Annette, another foster carer, said; “We wanted to join the first Mockingbird Family in Hull so our foster child could make friends. But what we have gained being part of the Mockingbird Family has surpassed our expectations. I’ve made friends with other carers who are in a similar situation to us, I know I can reach out to anyone of these people and know they understand me and want to help all of us.”
Hull Fostering are now actively recruiting for our second Mockingbird Family constellation.
