Celebrating together while apart
The Mockingbird hub home carer role is unique. Michelle and her husband Paul have, over two and a half years, built a supportive community ‘constellation’ of ‘satellite’ fostering families, with the full support of their fostering service. We spoke to them to learn more about their constellation and how they have found ways to support each other and celebrate together even during lockdown.
‘I must admit I'm very excited about our Christmas plans!’ exclaims Michelle, a Mockingbird hub home carer, when asked what her constellation are finding to look forward to right now.
Kelly, their Mockingbird liaison worker and supervising social worker, tells us how Mockingbird places emphasis upon relationships, and the important significance of these relationships to promote individual growth for children, young people and adults. ‘Our satellite families experience longer periods of stability; they have a wider supportive network and families feel a real sense of belonging’.
Relationships and a sense of belonging
Lizzie, 17, lives with Michelle and Paul in the hub home. She says ‘Mockingbird is my fostering family. I have made good friends, we have a group chat where we sometimes like to have a catch up and have a laugh with each other. My best friend is also part of the hub, and I get on well with all the other teens. I enjoy having the kids come and stay over especially the little ones. I think of them as little cousins and look out for them’.
According to Kelly the Mockingbird model is important for the children and young people because they feel a sense of reassurance knowing that day care and sleepovers will be with a consistent family. ‘The children and young people do lots of activities together, build relationships naturally, and create lots of shared memories. Our teenagers tend to chat online, go shopping and sometimes meet up and just hang out together.’
But this year has been different to say the least. As well as missing out on teenage shopping trips, birthdays, baby showers, Easter, Eid, Diwali and Hanukah will all have taken place under lockdown in 2020. Luckily, Michelle’s and Paul’s constellation, like families and communities all over the country, have found ways to celebrate together while apart.
Being together in pandemic times
At Halloween the constellation did online pumpkin carving. This month Michelle sent out wooden advent calendars for all the children in her Mockingbird family to decorate. There is even a competition for the most creative design!
For their Mockingbird Christmas, Michelle has been planning since September. Working with the fostering service to find a way for all the children and young people to have a shared Christmas experience together when they are apart.
‘We’re are planning a little winter wonderland. We have a decking area at the top of our garden with a little summerhouse that we’re turning into the grotto, the rest of the drive and decking area will be the wonderland. The idea behind it is that even though we can’t get together we will all have a shared memory of Christmas 2020.’
Lizzie and some of the older teens in the constellation have been helping make items for Christmas eve boxes. There will be a letter from Santa, a magic key, reindeer food, a movie, games and treats for each family to share. It’s a real community effort with a satellite carer being Santa for the day and a local business supporting the costs of the gifts.
Michelle explains that, ‘each constellation family will get a time slot for their visit to Santa to collect their box to take away ready for Christmas eve’. By having an outdoor grotto and sticking to social distancing rules they hope the youngest members of their Mockingbird community will get a special Christmas memory while keeping everyone safe and healthy.
While she’s excited about Christmas, reflecting on this year Michelle admits ‘it’s been especially hard with covid playing a huge part. However, hopefully soon things will return to normal and we can get together again!’
To see how Mockingbird communities have supported each other this year watch our film Mockingbird in Lockdown or visit the Mockingbird webpage to learn more about the programme.
