Bedford Borough Council Fostering

02/04/2026

What a lovely Easter coffee morning with one of our Mockingbird Constellations 🐣💛

From egg hunts and Easter crafts to homemade treats, it was a morning full of fun, laughter and connections.

These moments help build strong, supportive relationships for our families, which is exactly what Mockingbird is all about 💫

Thank you to our amazing Hub Home Carer for hosting!

27/03/2026

Great to be part of last night’s Community Network event at Borough Hall 💬

A valuable session on neighbourhood-based working and partnership collaboration across Bedford Borough 🤝

Our Adoption & Fostering team were there sharing info, myth-busting and promoting upcoming events 💙

📞 Interested in learning more about adoption or fostering?

Call us on 01234 718718 to find out more about our upcoming information sessions.

19/02/2026

✨ Bedford Borough Celebrates Third Mockingbird Constellation ✨

We’re proud to announce the launch of our third Mockingbird Constellation in Bedford Borough!

Delivered by Bedford Borough Council and developed by The Fostering Network, the Mockingbird programme strengthens foster care by creating a supportive, extended family, network around our carers and children.

At the heart of each Constellation is a Hub Home Carer, providing practical and emotional support, sleepovers, day care and guidance to Satellite Foster Families. The result? Greater placement stability, reduced stress for carers, and stronger, lasting relationships for children and young people.

Our first two Constellations are already supporting 19 families, hosting monthly coffee mornings, social activities, picnics, soft play trips and even summer BBQs, building a true community of care.

This expansion has been made possible thanks to funding from the Department for Education.

We look forward to growing the programme even further and supporting more foster families across Bedford Borough.

Interested in fostering?
☎️ Call us on 01234 718 718

04/12/2025

The Fostering Team has a tree on display this year, which is beautifully decorated with handmade ornaments crafted by the children we support.

Come feel the festive magic and check out all the incredible trees!

📍 St Paul’s Church, Bedford
⏰ 10am–5pm daily
✨ Last day: Sunday 7th December, 12pm–4pm

Snap a pic of our tree and tag us! 🎁🎄

06/10/2025

Kinship Care Week (6-12 October) is a national week of awareness, recognition, and celebration of kinship families across England and Wales.

It’s a time to shine a light on the vital role of kinship carers, those raising a child of a family member or a friend, who provide over 141,000 children in England and Wales with loving and stable homes.

This includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and family friends - who step up in extraordinary ways to keep children connected to their families, roots and communities.
Kinship Care Week reminds us that there is a powerful community of kinship carers who share their experiences in many different ways to help other kinship carers feel less lonely and isolated.

This Kinship Care Week let’s raise a teacup together to kinship families everywhere!

Get involved in Kinship Care Week: https://kinship.org.uk/get-involved/kinship-care-week/

21/06/2025

The Fostering Team are in Russel Park today!

11/04/2025

Bedford Borough Council recently launched its first Mockingbird Constellation, a groundbreaking approach to fostering that enhances support for carers and children by replicating the structure of an extended family.

To celebrate, a special event was held at Willington Peace Memorial Hall, bringing together foster carers, children, social workers, and members of the fostering team. The event recognised the dedication of those involved and highlighted the positive impact the Mockingbird model is already having on fostering in Bedford Borough.

Mockingbird is an evidence-based programme developed by The Fostering Network, designed to create a strong support network for foster carers, children, and young people. At the heart of each constellation is a Hub Home Carer, who provides practical and emotional support, respite care, and guidance to a group of ‘satellite’ foster families. This model improves stability in placements, reduces stress for carers, and builds a resilient, caring community for children in foster care.

The introduction of Mockingbird in Bedford Borough is made possible through funding from the Department for Education (DfE).

Councillor Jane Walker, Portfolio Holder for Valuing Families: Children’s Services, praised the initiative, stating: “We are incredibly proud to have launched Bedford Borough’s first Mockingbird Constellation, which is already making a real difference to the lives of our foster families and young people. This model strengthens relationships, builds resilience, and provides an invaluable support network for carers, ensuring that children in our care have the stability and security they deserve.”

Head of Service Samantha Gordon added; "I am very proud of our carers, our Fostering Team and everyone who supported us in making this vision a reality, to improve the lives of our children and carers in Bedford."

26/03/2025

In partnership with GLL (also known as BETTER), we have announced a new initiative offering free gym and swim access to all our valued foster carers, members of their household, and foster children.

Bedford Borough Council's foster carers are now able to register and take advantage of this scheme at one of the following BETTER Leisure facilities:

Robinson Pools & Fitness
Kempston Pool
John Bunyan Sports & Fitness
Bedford International Athletic Stadium

To register, carers must present a letter (which will be sent to them) along with proof of ID and address at one of the participating locations.

This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our foster carers, recognising their invaluable contribution to the community and ensuring they have access to health and wellbeing opportunities.

Councillor Jane Walker, Portfolio Holder for Valuing Families: Children’s Services, said: “We are incredibly grateful to our foster carers for the dedication and care they provide to children in our community. This scheme is a small way of showing our appreciation and supporting their wellbeing. We hope it will make a real difference to them and their families.

Gillan Kelly, Partnership Manager at GLL, said: “We recognise and value the vital role that carers undertake to support and improve the lives of others. As a charitable social enterprise that works to improve local communities we’re delighted to launch this initiative and hope many will take advantage of the wellbeing and health benefits available to them at our leisure centres.”

17/02/2025

Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Ball, for your incredible support in fostering with Bedford Borough Council. Your dedication and care make such a positive impact in the community. We truly appreciate everything you do ❤️

Congratulations to Mrs Ball and her husband who were invited to the Houses of Parliament and the Palace of Westminster in their role as foster carers.

This was to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Fostering Network. MP’s, social carers and foster carers were in attendance to discuss social care, the role of foster carers and also the wellbeing of children within our schools.’

14/02/2025

💕 This Valentine’s Day, Share the Love 💕

Love isn’t just about romance—it’s about family, care, and the kindness we show to others. ❤️

For children in foster care, love means stability, safety, and the warmth of a home. Foster carers provide that love every day, offering a child a place where they feel valued, supported, and cherished.

This Valentine’s Day, let’s celebrate the incredible foster families who open their hearts and homes, making a real difference in children’s lives.

Could you be the one to share your love and become a foster carer?

02/02/2025

What feels like an ordinary weekend activity to you could be life-changing for a foster child. Because your everyday can be their everything.

Coats and boots on, fresh air and family time outside might be a simple everyday activity for you. To a foster child, it’s everything.

Could you foster? Call us 01234 718 718 for a chat