A foster carer has told of her excitement at a new support network based on creating an ‘extended family’ to help carers and the children they look after.
Ealing Council’s fostering service revealed its new ‘Mockingbird’ programme at a special event recently. It aims to provide young people and foster carers with a wider support network.
‘Really excited’
The programme brings together family groups of between 6 to 10 foster carers and young people in their care, to form a ‘constellation’. Each constellation is supported by a ‘hub home’ with a ‘hub carer’, who provides a range of support to the other carers and young people within the constellation. The hub home is supported by a liaison officer.
Nina Samuel is one of these hub carers, as part of the borough’s first constellation, which will consist of 7 carers. She has been a foster carer for more than two decades. 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.”
Socialising, training and support
Constellations will hold regular social activities, and sleepovers (to provide short breaks), to strengthen relationships in a fun way. Meanwhile, training opportunities and one-to-one support will be provided, too.
The Mockingbird programme is part of the council’s recently updated foster carer package. It includes significant payment increases and benefits, full council tax exemption, free parking in resident-controlled parking zones (CPZs) borough-wide, fortnightly garden waste collection, discounts on leisure activities, extensive training opportunities, peer support and dedicated therapeutic support from a clinical psychology service.
‘Really important step’
Councillor Josh Blacker, the council’s cabinet member for a fairer start said: “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.”
Find out more
If you’re interested in becoming a foster carer, or would like to find out more, contact the fostering team:
- Email contact@fosterwithwestlondon.org.uk
- Call 020 8753 1075
- Fostering website
