18 November 2025
A globally recognised program is now helping to build stronger support systems for children in foster and kinship care in Murray Bridge in South Australia.
The MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ program provides wrap-around support for foster and kinship carers and the children in their care through peer support, social activities and planned and emergency respite care.
The evidence-informed model creates a community of local carers who work together to support each other and the children and young people in their care.
Life Without Barriers is launching a new MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ “constellation” in Murray Bridge this week following the success of the program in recent years. Excitingly, this will be the first constellation to be established in a regional location within South Australia.
Funded by the Department for Child Protection, the program helps to strengthen placement stability, reduces carer isolation and supports sibling connection by creating a close-knit community of people with similar experiences.
The new Mockingbird group at Murray Bridge will be made up of 6-to-10 local carer households, supported by an experienced carer known as a “Hub Home Provider”.
Murray Bridge Hub Home Provider and kinship carer, Lisa Portarianos, said she was looking forward to building an “extended family” that not only provides a supportive community for the children in care, but also their carers.
Ms Portarianos will help to create connections, provide emotional support, coordinate social activities, and facilitate access to training, resources and services.
“Being a foster or kinship carer is an incredibly important job that comes with a lot of responsibility,” Ms Portarianos said.
“Having a supportive community of people who know the highs, the lows, and the complexities of being a carer – who you can talk to honestly and openly about challenges or wins – can make a huge difference.
“Having the supportive, social environment of the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ model can help carers navigate the child protection space and make their experience more positive, while the children develop special friendship groups with other young people in similar circumstances.”
The MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ model helps children build friendships with peers who understand their experiences and take part in fun social activities.
These experiences help young people feel secure, valued and listened to, helping to improve relationships and overall wellbeing.
Life Without Barriers chief executive Claire Robbs said the organisation had already seen the positive impact the program had on children in care, and their carers, in South Australia.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that’s exactly what the Mockingbird model does,” Ms Robbs said.
“Life Without Barriers recognises the extraordinary value of foster carers, and we want to ensure they have the support they need to provide critical support to children and young people.
“Nationally, we are an organisation that is committed to providing safe, nurturing, and culturally respectful environments for children and young people who cannot live with their families.
“This program will help foster a sense of community and connection, reduce isolation and improve outcomes for children and young people in care.”
The Murray Bridge Mockingbird constellation aims to:
Enhance stability for children and young people in care
Reduce placement breakdowns
Foster connections through regular gatherings and shared experiences
Empower carers with access to peer support and practical assistance
Lucy Wade, Life Without Barriers’ state director of SA Child, Youth and Family services, said the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ model provides carers and children with a supportive and inclusive community.
“It helps create a community built on trust and understanding that nurtures and supports both the children and their carers,” Ms Wade said.
“I am so pleased that we can offer that extra level of support now in the Murray Bridge area, and with Lisa at the centre, we’re building a network where carers feel supported, children thrive, and the community grows stronger together.”
To find out more, go to lwb.org.au or fostercare.sa.gov.au.
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