A NEW support network for foster families has been launched in the Liskeard area, bringing together seven foster families and 16 children in care.

The group forms Cornwall’s fourth Mockingbird constellation, a network designed to give foster carers and children a stronger sense of community and support.

The official launch took place recently in Liskeard - with families coming together for a day of activities aimed at helping them get to know one another.

Children enjoyed a bouncy castle, visits to a nearby park and craft activities. They also decorated their own cups in Mockingbird colours, which will be kept at the hub home for future visits.

The Mockingbird model, which operates internationally, brings a group of foster families together around a central “hub home”. Hub carers provide practical and emotional support to the other families, known as satellite carers, helping create a network similar to an extended family.

The model also provides opportunities for planned sleepovers, giving children continuity of care while allowing foster carers to receive a break when needed.

The new Liskeard-area constellation comes at a time when demand for foster placements remains high. Cornwall Council says there can be up to 40 children or young people in Cornwall needing a place to call home at any one time, while foster care applications are falling in many areas.

The council says improving training, support and practical assistance for foster carers is helping attract more people to the role.

Tania and Rich, who have become the hub home carers for Cornwall’s fourth constellation, said they were proud to take on the responsibility.

“Our focus will be on nurturing peer support, delivering planned sleepovers to ensure continuity of care, and creating meaningful community links for both carers and children,” they said.

They added that they were looking forward to working with the satellite carers to create a “warm and reliable network of support” and celebrate the achievements of the young people involved.

Councillor Hilary Frank, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Schools, said the fourth constellation was another important step for fostering families across the county.

“Fostering can be incredibly rewarding, but there can also be difficult days,” she said. “That’s why Mockingbird works so well. It creates the sense of an extended family, where carers and children share both the highs and the lows, knowing there is always someone to turn to.”

The Liskeard-area launch is part of a wider expansion of the Mockingbird approach in Cornwall. Two further constellations are planned during 2026, alongside the appointment of two new liaison workers who will form a dedicated Mockingbird team within the council’s fostering service.

For families in and around Liskeard, the new network offers an opportunity to build friendships and practical support close to home while helping children in care experience greater stability.

Cornwall Council is also encouraging people who could offer a home to a child, teenager or siblings to consider fostering.

Anyone interested can contact the Fostering South West hub on 0300 456 0120 or visit Cornwall Council’s fostering service online.