Why does being part of a fostering community matter, and who’ll be part of your foster carer networking community? In this post, we’ll explore the many ways we make sure that you’re never on your own.

It takes a village to raise a child. That’s what they say, isn’t it? And whilst that may not be literally true (which is good news if you don’t live in a village), the sentiment is right.

Young people benefit from having a range of positive adult influences around them. And carers of every sort become better carers when they are able to learn from others’ experiences. When they are able to share their experiences, challenges and successes with someone who really gets it. And when they  are able to feel as though they’re not on their own.

That’s the power of a fostering community.

Why your fostering community matters

We don’t have enough foster carers. We never have enough. So it’s massively important to us that we keep the ones we have, and that new foster parents quickly feel like they’ve made the right decision to get involved.

The simple fact is that carers who are part of a fostering network are more likely to stay foster carers. That’s because, when you’re part of a community, you have answers, advice and a pressure release valve on tap. Your community can give you a break. They can help grow your confidence. It’s hard to get all of that when you feel you’re doing it all on your own.

Who’ll be part of your fostering community?

A foster community is made up of lots of people with lots of roles. There’s you and the other foster carers around you – the people you’ll have met in training and through the Mockingbird programme (we’ll get to that in a minute). There’s your family and friends. There’s your social worker and the local authority team, who are on hand to help you with the practical stuff.

Some of those are formal roles with specific responsibilities. Some of them definitely aren’t, but when you need a quick answer, a long chat or practical support, they can all be vital.

Just as important as the people are the opportunities to get together and chat, learn, celebrate or just connect. That’s why, across Greater Manchester, you’ll find events for people thinking about getting into fostering, and for people who already are. Find more about our next information evenings, Park Run, awards ceremonies and more on our events page or on Facebook.

Mockingbird: the foster carer network

Mockingbird is a global (and multi-award-winning) approach to foster carer networking that has made a big difference to foster carers across the UK and around the world.

With Mockingbird, you’re part of a community (or “constellations”) of six to ten foster families. At the centre of each constellation are hub carers who support the foster families in their community. We’ve seen them described (by looked after children and their foster families) as a bit like grandparents. Hub carers host the occasional sleepover to give foster parents a break. They’ll host social activities and hold regular support meetings. And in times of conflict, they’ll be there to help children and carers.

It's not all down to the hub carers. Families within each constellation form close bonds, often helping each other out too. So if there’s a family emergency, or someone’s feeling ill, or you just need to talk something over, you can get help from your constellation, and they can get help from you.

There are Mockingbird constellations across Greater Manchester, helping to complete a large web of foster carer networking for every foster family in the region. Join us, and you’ll be part of the network too.

Talk to us

Thinking about fostering? To talk things over (without making any commitments!)  please get in touch.