From preventative strategies to transitional and permanency solutions, MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY^TM offers a comprehensive support structure for families and children across the continuum of the child welfare experience:

• Children and Youth ages birth to 21 years
• Birth Families
• Formal and Informal Kinship Caregivers
• Foster Families
• Foster-to-Adopt Families
• Adoptive and Chosen Families

Keeping Families Together
MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ creates a support network around families with the goal of keeping families together and reducing the number of children entering the foster care system. The Hub Home family helps birth parents and kinship caregivers effectively navigate systems and access community resources:

• Respite/child care and navigation of social service systems for birth families and kinship caregivers
• Peer mentoring and coaching in the context of a social network (Effective Parenting, Problem Solving, Conflict Resolution) to stabilize families and prevent crisis situations

Restructuring Foster Care
MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ offers innovative solutions for some of the most frequent problems facing children in the foster care system.

• Relationship-based planned and crisis respite care that prevents placement disruptions, provides a safe space for relationship pacing, and reduces caregiver burnout
• Peer mentoring and coaching to eliminate the feeling of isolation caregivers often experience, facilitate conflict resolution and problem solving, and increase placement stabilization
• Support for children to maintain connections with siblings and birth families while experiencing the safety, stability, and well-being associated with an extended family

Stabilizing and Supporting Transitions
MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ places a special focus on issues of permanency:

• Early Reunification: Supporting families so kids can transition back home quickly
• Adoption: Helping children form relationships with potential adoptive families and supporting the transition process
• Transition to Adulthood: Preparing foster youth for a successful future and providing support as they transition into adulthood

What is the difference between a Hub Home and a Satellite Home?

The Hub Home, like Grandma or Auntie’s house, provides tangible support to both the children and adults in the Constellation. Typically the Hub Home is an experienced, licensed foster family home, or someone with vast experience working with young people and adults that supports the emotional and behavioral needs (acuity level) of participating children and youth.

A Satellite Home is one of 6 to 10 licensed foster or kinship families in a Constellation providing full-time care to 1-6 children and/or youth.

What is the difference between a Foster Home and a Kinship Home?

Foster home are non-relatives who provide care to a child or youth in a family setting.

Kinship home are relatives (not a child or youth's birth parents) that provide care in a family setting.

How can I be a part of a MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ Constellation?

Foster parents and caregivers:

Because The Mockingbird Society is not a family support, foster parent licensing, or child placement/adoptive agency, you will need to talk to your agency about becoming part of a MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ Constellation. Call your agency to find out if there is a Constellation in your area. If not, ask your agency to call The Mockingbird Society at (206) 323-KIDS (5437) or family@mockingbirdsociety.org about becoming a MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ Constellation.

Public and private child welfare agencies (Host Agencies):

First, to replicate MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™, your agency MUST be a family support, foster parent licensing, or child placement/adoptive agency. The Mockingbird Society is a non-profit child welfare advocacy agency and does not supervise children in foster care, license foster care providers, or place children for adoption.

Secondly, determine whether MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ is the right service delivery structure for your agency by reviewing the information available on our website.

If your agency goals fit with those of MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ (supporting child/youth health, safety, social development and well-being; supporting families to prevent out-of-home placement; and/or restructuring and optimizing foster care delivery, including preventing child/youth placement disruptions, connecting siblings, supporting caregiver retention, and supporting connections to cultural identity), contact The Mockingbird Society at 206-323-KIDS (5427) or family@mockingbirdsociety.org. We will arrange a telephone discussion for you with the appropriate staff member who will be happy to answer your questions and describe the technical assistance and training process that is required to replicate MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™.

As a community member, how can I support MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY^TM?

Community organizations, neighbors, and friends have an opportunity to support MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ by making a personal contribution to The Mockingbird Society to help us advocate for the expanded implementation of MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™.

For more information on how to support, contact us at information@mockingbirdsociety.org or at 206- 323-KIDS (5437)