About the Hive Fostering Model
The Hive Fostering model is based around the support and relationships found in an extended family. It brings together a number of fostering families creating a supportive community and providing positive experiences for both carers and children.
It’s rooted in the idea that it takes a village to raise a child. It empowers foster families to support each other and offers children a more positive experience of care.
As well as providing individual support, it strengthens the fostering community by encouraging peer connections and regular social activities.
How the Hives work
A Hive is a small group of foster families who come together to support each other just the same as an extended family. The hive is supported by a supervising social worker.
Within the Hive, children, young people and carers build strong relationships, supported by an experienced hub home carer.
The role of the hub home carer
The hub home carer can help by:
- providing guidance and advice
- bringing carers together through social events and training
- providing planned and emergency sleepovers for children when carers need a break or face challenges
- speaking up for children and carers to help placements last
- helping carers resolve concerns early and strengthen relationships to maintain stable placements
They may also need to speak up for Hive members and represent their needs.
The hub home
The home of the hub carer is called the hub home. It can also provide a neutral environment for:
- joint decision meetings
- social worker visits
- sibling and birth family visits
- critical support to social workers
Benefits of the Hive
Being part of a Hive has multiple benefits, such as:
- stronger support networks for foster carers and children. This reduces stress and isolation
- a consistent and familiar network. This provides children with a greater sense of:
- belonging
- security
- stability
- early and urgent support to carers
- improved communications between teams supporting foster families
Get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us by phone on +44 (0) 1534 443970 or by email at fosteringandadoption@health.gov.je.
gov.je