Focus on Fostering Podcast

Our podcast series shines a light on fostering in Cumbria and each episode will explore the real experiences behind fostering — from the day-to-day realities to the lifelong impact carers make. Whether you're already a carer, thinking about fostering, or work in children’s services, this podcast offers honest conversations, expert insights, and stories that inspire.

Episode 1: Carers supporting carers: Mockingbird in Cumbria

In this episode we take a closer look at the Mockingbird model of foster care — a pioneering approach that launched in Cumbria last year.

Mockingbird creates a community of support by bringing together foster families into a ‘constellation’, led by a dedicated hub carer and supported by a liaison worker. It’s all about building stronger, more connected networks around children and carers — like an extended family.

Six months into our first Mockingbird constellation in the south of the county, we catch up with our hub carers, Kelsey and Grace, and their liaison worker, Jayne, to hear how things are going, what they’ve learned, and how this model is already making a difference.

Listen here

Episode 2: Fostering Refugee Children — Deb's Story of Care, Community, and Courage

In this special Refugee Week 2025 episode, we speak with Deb — a dedicated foster carer who opens her heart and home to child refugees and young people seeking safety in the UK. Deb shares her moving experiences supporting young people who’ve fled war, persecution, and unimaginable hardship. Through her story, we explore how foster carers help rebuild trust and belonging, offering not just shelter, but a vital sense of community.

This year’s Refugee Week theme — “Community as a Superpower” — celebrates the everyday acts of kindness that create safety, hope, and healing. At Cumbria Fostering, we witness these superpowers every day in the homes of carers like Deb.