Mockingbird Constellations: Peer Support that Works

What is the Mockingbird Family Model?

The Mockingbird Family Model (MFM) is a way of organising foster families into a tight, extended-family style network called a constellation. Each constellation typically includes one experienced “hub home” and six to ten “satellite” foster families who meet regularly, lean on each other day-to-day, and can offer planned or emergency sleepovers to keep placements steady. In the UK it’s delivered by The Fostering Network under licence from the US-based Mockingbird Society.

Where did Mockingbird come from?

Mockingbird launched its first constellation in Seattle in 2004 and has since been adapted internationally. The UK roll-out began in 2015 and is now one of the largest implementations in the world.

How a constellation works in practice

A hub home carer is selected for experience, calm problem-solving and a knack for connecting people. They host meet-ups, offer coaching, coordinate training, and provide short breaks/sleepovers so satellite carers can rest or stabilise a tricky moment without a placement move. The wider group becomes a predictable, trusted circle for children—familiar adults, familiar sofas, familiar routines.

The hub home role

Hub homes are the first call when something wobbles at 7pm on a Wednesday: they help de-escalate, offer a sofa for a night, or bring the right people around the table the next day. UK guidance describes constellations of six to ten families anchored by a hub, with a liaison worker linking the hub to the fostering service—so help is fast and coordinated.

What activities keep constellations strong?

Across constellations you’ll see training sessions, peer support meetings, social activities, and thousands of one-to-one check-ins by phone or in person. In 2022–23 alone, constellations recorded 1,683 social activities, 958 training/peer-support sessions, over 21,150 one-to-one support instances, and 7,933 overnight sleepovers—all of which build trust and capacity before crises hit.

What the evidence says (and doesn’t)

Independent evaluations and service monitoring give a nuanced picture of what Mockingbird achieves.

Carer retention

The Department for Education’s (DfE) independent evaluation led by the University of Oxford found Mockingbird improved foster carer retention compared with matched comparison groups. That matters in a system facing chronic shortages and high attrition.

Placement stability

On placement stability, the same DfE evaluation didn’t find a statistically significant difference versus matched groups, while highlighting qualitative signs of smoother transitions and better day-to-day support. In short: it clearly helps carers stay; its effect on unplanned moves needs more long-term data.

Respite and day-to-day support

A standout finding: 87% of Mockingbird carers rated respite/short breaks as good or excellent, compared with 37% in a national benchmark report—evidence that constellations dramatically improve access to the type of help carers say keeps them going.

Cost-effectiveness

Mockingbird’s “invest-to-save” case is strengthening. National programme data (2018–2023) attributes 233 prevented resignations of foster carers and 507 prevented placement breakdowns, with £6.4m in total estimated costs avoided. A 2017–2020 evaluation also suggested near break-even savings (99p per £1 invested) for participating services.

Why it works for children, carers and services

Mockingbird’s power is relational: it normalises life for children in care and de-isolates carers.

For children and young people

Regular activities with the same adults and peers provide a sense of belonging and predictability. Constellations often support sibling time—sleepovers and joint events can make sibling contact more natural, frequent and child-led. Young people in Mockingbird reported strong social networks and feeling part of a community.

For foster carers

Carers get rapid practical help (sleepovers, transport cover, a second pair of hands) and emotional containment (a phone call with someone who gets it). Those two together are what prevent midnight resignations and help carers feel confident to take or hold placements that would otherwise tip into crisis.

For local authorities and IFAs

Constellations increase local capacity and reduce avoidable costs—keeping children close to schools and family, avoiding out-of-area moves and some residential placements. Several councils report new capacity created simply because carers felt safe enough, through Mockingbird, to extend their approval.

Where the UK is now

Growth has been rapid. By March 2023 there were 102 active constellations across 46 partners, and by the end of 2024 The Fostering Network celebrated the 200th constellation launched. Expansion has been backed by the government’s Stable Homes, Built on Love plan and further investment to 2026–28.

Challenges, fidelity and the “boring but crucial” details

No model scales without friction. Implementers in the DfE evaluation flagged the need for clear delegated authority for sleepovers, tweaks to recording systems (so sleepovers aren’t treated as placement changes), and payment policies that reflect hub responsibilities. Getting the right hub carer, the right mix of satellites, and whole-service buy-in are make-or-break.

There’s also sector debate about where funding lands and whether benefits are evenly felt across all cohorts and regions. Constructive scrutiny continues alongside the strong practitioner and carer support the model enjoys.

How to join (or help start) a constellation

If you’re a prospective or approved foster carer

• Ask your service (local authority or IFA) whether they run Mockingbird. If not, ask who nearby does and whether they’re planning a hub.
• Look for the essentials: a named liaison worker, a trained and available hub home, and a calendar of peer-learning and social events.

If you’re a fostering team leader or commissioner

• Start with fidelity: stick to the core structure—hub home + 6–10 satellites, regular meetings, planned/emergency sleepovers—and invest early in a reliable liaison role.
• Plan the plumbing: delegated authority for overnights, recording and finance pathways for hub duties, clear crisis protocols that point first to the hub.
• Measure what matters: track retention, sleepover usage, sibling contact, and avoided breakdowns; share wins internally so colleagues see why it’s worth the effort.

Key takeaways

• Mockingbird is about relationships, not a bolt-on service. Constellations make help immediate and local, which carers say is the difference between coping and crisis.
• Evidence shows stronger carer retention and markedly better respite access, with growing signs of cost avoidance—while longer-term, large-scale data on placement stability is still catching up.
• Scale in the UK is real and rising—moving past pilots to mainstream practice across dozens of services, supported by national policy.

If you’re weighing up where to foster—or how to strengthen your service—Mockingbird constellations are one of the clearest, evidence-informed ways to give carers the community they need and children the stability they deserve.