Earlier this month, a new South Australian study was published evaluating the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILYTM program – and it shows positive outcomes for children and young people in foster care, including increased sibling connection!
MOCKINGBIRD was built on evidence from the USA and the UK, where the program has been shown to increase placement stability and carer satisfaction and retention. Life Without Barriers have partnered with The Mockingbird Society to implement and license the model within Australia, and are funded by the Department for Child Protection to deliver the program in South Australia.
How does it work?
MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ unites 6 to 10 foster and/or kinship carer homes called Satellite Families in a local community called a Constellation, supported by an experienced carer who takes on the role of Hub Home Provider.
The Hub Home Provider is an employed team member who supports carers through providing connection, information, training and emotional support.
The Constellation is like the extended family and the Hub Home is like a warm and caring home, that is familiar and comfortable. Each child in the Constellation is welcomed by the Hub Home Provider for sleep overs and social events, or if there is difficulty at home and the child and/or carers could benefit for a break. MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ also promotes ongoing meaningful relationships with parents, brothers and sisters and other family members.
There are six Mockingbird ‘constellations’ in Adelaide and the Hills which bring together and create an extended family like hub for local kinship and foster carers – and the children and young people for whom they care – to share ideas and advice, meet for social activities and create connections. Children and young people are supported through these networks which mimic an extended family and provide important childhood experiences such as play dates, birthday parties and other special celebrations.
The recent study evaluating the initiative was a partnership between the department, Life Without Barriers and Flinders University. It found that the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ program positively developed a dynamic extended family network that meaningfully creates a hub to connect siblings, cousins and friends within its constellations.
An important finding from the study was the benefits shown not just for carers, but for children and young people in foster care in South Australia. Guardian for Children and Young People, Shona, said:
“Having a network of extended family and friends with shared experience is something that is so important for all of us – and I am pleased to hear about how MOCKINGBIRD is creating these networks for children and young people in care.
One of the key things this model shows us is that, if we are willing to be innovative and do things differently, we can see better results.”
The Guardian was particularly interested in the findings that the program was supporting sibling connection, saying:
“Sibling contact is an issue children and young people in care frequently raise when they contact my office – they miss their siblings and want to see them more.
Getting to know and share experiences with siblings is a big part of growing up and important in shaping our identity. The sibling relationship, if nurtured and maintained, can be a source of comfort and support for children and young people both while in care and into adulthood.”
The Guardian is keen to know more about the next steps for MOCKINGBIRD and will continue to advocate on the topic of sibling connection:
“Now that we have the evidence that this program is improving support for foster families and encouraging sibling connection, there is the question about how this program will be expanded so that more children and young people can feel the benefits. I look forward to receiving advice from government on this topic.
I will continue to advocate on the importance of sibling contact, and that more needs to be done to address the individual and systemic barriers impacting sibling relationships for children and young people in care.”
You can read more about Shona’s advocacy for sibling connection in her submission to the review of the Children and Young People Safety Act 2017 – A rights-based approach to safety.
For more information on MOCKINGBIRD, check out the Life Without Barriers website.
