Meet the team supporting our Mockingbird families across the county…
Cathy Dickson
Mockingbird Manager for Devon County Council
Cathy has a career in fostering that spans more than 20 years. She leads the Mockingbird team here at Devon County Council, working with our Liaison Workers, Claire, Harriet and Jennie.
“I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work within Mockingbird in other parts of the country. I have seen how the model nurtures the relationships between children, young people and foster families supporting them to build a resilient and caring community. I feel privileged to roll out this programme throughout Devon.
“Led by the Hub Home Carers and Liaison Workers, each constellation offers valuable peer support and guidance alongside social activities and sleepovers to strengthen relationships and permanence for our children. Carers feel well supported resulting in retention of foster carers who are happy to share their experiences of Mockingbird with others.”
Claire Reeve
Liaison Worker for Exeter
“I’m happiest when I’m working with foster carers and helping to provide a positive difference to children in care. I wanted to become part of the Mockingbird team because the model promotes the support of foster carers and young people and has proven to be successful. Mockingbird can bring many benefits to the council, particularly around placement stability and increased support for foster carers.”
Harriet Hobbs
Liaison Worker for North Devon
“I became part of the Mockingbird team because I am very passionate about us getting the support right for our foster carers; making sure that they feel ‘held’ by us in the roles that they are undertaking and that we are offering the best service possible for our children. Mockingbird feels like such a positive way of achieving this for foster carers and allowing them to feel that they are not alone and can reach out easily to a group of people who understand them.
“Devon County Council will hopefully be seen to be providing an excellent service for our foster carers and children via the Mockingbird Programme and I hope we will see an improvement in how supported the foster carers feel. I feel privileged to be a Liaison Worker for our hub and enjoy spending time with the foster carers and children who inspire me every day.”
Jennie Hardy
Liaison Worker for South Devon
“I wanted to become part of the Mockingbird team as I am passionate about my role and the relationship model that Mockingbird follows – recreating the family system within the fostering service. I thrive on challenging myself and working within a model which brings together foster carers with all different needs.
“I find it an absolute privilege to be in this position where I can help satellite carers and hub carers to develop a natural supportive relationship network and witness the children and young people developing meaningful relationships with one another. I look forward to continuing to develop these relationships with the satellite carers and the children and provide support which is meaningful to the foster families.”
To find out more about the Mockingbird programme read about it on The Fostering Network’s website.
