Exploring trust from the voices of Australian children, young people and care networks in the Mockingbird Family

This study employs a phenomenological approach to explore the dynamics of trust within the Mockingbird Family, a relatively new model of foster and kinship care introduced in Australia. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with children (n = 21) and members of their care networks (n = 33) involved in the pilot implementation of the model. Trust is examined as a multidimensional concept that spans interpersonal, organisational, and societal contexts. Findings show that trust is co-produced through everyday interactions between children and carers, strengthened through collaboration among carers, agency staff, and child protection workers, and reinforced by organisational coherence and political support. Drawing on the lived experiences of children, carers, and professionals, the study offers insight into how trust can be intentionally built and sustained within collective care environments. The Mockingbird Family model highlights trust as an emergent process shaped through mutual engagement, peer support, and structural responsiveness, rather than as a fixed attribute or predefined outcome. These insights contribute to reimagining foster care as a relationship-centred, interconnected system.
Keywords: child protection, child safety, foster care, kinship care, out-of-home-care, social networks, support networks.