2.4 Family Group Conferences

Introduction
Aim
Purpose
Function and Scope
Status and Powers
Request for a Family Group Conference
Process
Attendance
Roles and Responsibilities
Timing and Duration
Agenda Setting and Information Giving
Plan
Complaints
Monitoring and Reviewing the Plan
Evaluation

1. Introduction

The Family Group Conference (FGC) is used as a way of developing more effective partnerships between families and professionals in the child care decision-making process. Originating in New Zealand, the FGC model aims to shift the balance of control over decisions away from professionals and towards the families involved. FGC’s are to be used in this borough to increase support for a Child in Need, to promote the safety and welfare of a child who is considered at risk, or a Looked After Child, or in order to prevent the need for a child to be Accommodated.

The four central features of FGC’s are:

The appointment of an independent co-ordinator whose role it is to organise and facilitate the meeting
The term “family” is interpreted widely, to include extended family, friends and significant others
The family meet in private to formulate a plan
The family’s plan is usually agreed by professionals unless it is believed to place the child at risk.

2. Aim

The aim of the FGC is to:

Make a plan that increases support for a child
Engage the child’s network in decision-making
Empower the child’s network to take a lead in addressing child care concerns

3. Purpose

The purpose of using an FGC is:

To address issue’s, manage risk or change
To encourage the child’s network to contribute to resolving issue’s
To gain consensus from a child’s network in decision-making.

4. Function and Scope

Child Protection and Child in Need

Where there is risk of family breakdown or crisis, an FGC should be considered at the earliest opportunity. It may be necessary to refer for an FGC, while a case progresses to Initial Child Protection Conference or the Children’s Placement Planning Group.
FGCs are to be discussed and considered at the conclusion of a core assessment and subsequent reviews - the reason(s) why a decision has been made to proceed or not must be recorded by the Team Manager on a supervision sheet. The Integrated Children’s System (ICS) will prompt the assessor to outline how this is to be achieved in the plan.
A decision to hold an FGC should be part of the Child Protection Plan formulated at the first Review Child Protection Conference – if the decision is made not to convene such a meeting, the reasons why must be recorded by the chair, as part of the conference minutes.
A decision to hold an FGC should be part of the Support Plan formulated at the first Review Network Meeting – if the decision is made not to convene such a meeting the reasons why must be recorded by the chair, as part of the conference minutes.
There is an expectation that an FGC will have taken place prior to a Legal Planning Meeting being convened.
Initial statements provided to Court should refer to whether an FGC has been held, is planned, or is under consideration.

Looked After Children

FGC is to be part of the agenda for all LAC reviews, particularly where re-unification or permanent placement may be required. If a FGC is not to be held, the reasons are to be clearly recorded on the LAC Review document.
The Head of Service’s request for a child to be Looked After asks if an FGC has been held, and if not for reasons as to why one has not taken place. This will be recorded on the Integrated Children’s System (ICS).

Young Offender

A young person who has offended or is at risk of offending may be offered an FGC. This will be the Social Welfare FGC, rather than a Restorative FGC.

5. Status and Powers

FGC’s have no statutory power.

A FGC can make a plan that increases support and protection for a child.

A FGC should not agree a plan that reduces support or protection for a child.

A plan made at a FGC must be supported by the allocated social worker, and be monitored for implementation and effectiveness.

6. Request for a Family Group Conference

A team manager can request an FGC, through the FGC coordinator.

A meeting will then take place between the social worker, team manager and the FGC coordinator, to assess suitability and consider risk. Where appropriate the meeting will include the FSCPA.

The decision to proceed with an FGC will be made by the team manger, following advice from the FGC coordinator.

7. Process

Preparation: The co-ordinator is appointed and identifies the issues the professionals feel need to be addressed. The co-ordinator, in consultation with child and immediate carers, identifies the wider “family” network and who should be involved in the meeting; issues invitations; agrees venue; date and timing of FGC; and prepares the participants.
Information Sharing: At the start of the meeting, the co-ordinator chairs the information sharing. Relevant professionals explain their roles, responsibilities, any concerns that they have, and identify local resources. The family may seek clarification.
Family Plan: Professionals and co-ordinator withdraw; the family needs to agree a plan, any contingency plans and review arrangements.
Presentation and Negotiation: Co-ordinator and professionals rejoin the family and hear the plan. Resources are negotiated, and the plan is generally agreed unless it places the child at risk of Significant Harm.

For good practice guidelines see the FRG website.

8. Attendance

FGCs are intended to have as many extended family network and significant family friends as possible. The independent coordinator will encourage the parents/carers to involve a wide network. The average attendance at FGCs is 7 or 8 people; it can be fewer but it can also be much higher in number. Social workers attend, and will need access to the team manager for the duration of the meeting, to agree a plan.

FGCs limit professional attendance to those who need to be there. Consideration will be given to inviting professionals from other agencies if necessary, if they are providing resources for the plan. It is therefore expected that professionals who are invited put a high priority on attendance. If a social worker cannot attend, the team manager should send another social worker with the ability and authority to agree the plan.

Children aged about nine years and over are encouraged to attend the FGC, and have their views heard. Younger children may come with adults but with a crèche provided. Children may need the help of an advocate from the extended family network or a professional advocate to express views on their behalf. It is considered beneficial for children to experience the meeting, as it should model negotiation and consensus.

All those with Parental Responsibility should be invited. Father’s who do not have Parental Responsibility should also be invited.

The independent coordinator will seek the family’s views about who to bring to the meeting.

If someone’s attendance poses a threat to safety, they will be excluded from the meeting, but alternative ways to ensure they can participate will be arranged by the independent coordinator. To ensure that the child’s entire network is included, consideration will be given to that person’s part of the network, and how to include them in the FGC. Every effort will be made to find ways to include paternal networks. Otherwise exclusion may limit the attendance of extended family too.

9. Roles and Responsibilities

The responsibility of the referring social worker is to ensure that the FGC and the process promote the needs of the child, and protection of the child. Making sure the agenda, the conference, the plan, and the practice of the independent coordinator achieve this is the responsibility of the social worker.

When the decision to hold a FGC is agreed, the social worker will:

Meet with the team manager and FGC coordinator to consider the risks and benefits
Complete the referral form
Meet the independent FGC coordinator from ‘Welcare’ or ‘Family Plans’, to give them background information
Draft an agenda (see Section 11, Agenda Setting and Information Giving) for the independent coordinator to distribute two weeks before the expected FGC date
Inform other professionals if necessary
Attend the FGC, and review
Agree the plan made by the extended family network, and any resources offered
Where a resource has been offered to the family which needs agreement from team managers, Head of Services or other service providers, the social worker or team manager will need to get agreement within seven days.

When an FGC has been referred to ‘Welcare’ or ‘Family Plans’, their independent coordinator will:

Meet with the referring social worker (before seeing the family) for more detailed information about the case
Meet with the key members of the extended family network. This can include the child depending on age, to get their views
Explain the FGC process and encourage the child and parent/carer to identify their family and non-family network, building on the information provided by the social worker
Encourage the wider family network to focus on the concerns, be non-blaming, and look forward (Solution Focused).
Take the agenda to the network two weeks before the expected FGC date
Help the wider family with travel, and support them to find ways to attend
Keep the social worker informed of their progress
Advise on the need for an Advocate
Consult other professionals when setting a date
Agree a date, time and venue and notify everyone
Provide food and refreshments, and a crèche if necessary
Chair the meeting, and record and distribute the plan
Set up the review.

10. Timing and Duration

An FGC will be set at a time to suit most attendee’s. The independent coordinator will work towards convening an FGC during normal working hours. However, it may be necessary to hold it outside those hours if the participation of the extended family depends on that. This could mean an FGC runs into the evening or is held at the weekend. If unable to attend, the team manager will need to be available at those times, for consultation.

The duration of an FGC can be much longer than any other meeting. As a guide information sharing usually lasts about an hour; private family time can last between an hour and five hours depending on the nature of the concerns and the number of family attending; and the final plan making part can last an hour or more. For planning purposes, do not book in any meetings or appointments following an FGC.

11. Agenda Setting and Information Giving

Agenda guidance is available each team's shared folder.

In summary, an agenda needs to be short and specific, using plain English. It should report briefly on:

How and when the child came to Family Services attention in the first instance
What the current concerns are
The questions the meeting needs to consider
Positives and strengths
What resources are available, if any
What will happen if nothing changes

At the start of the FGC the independent coordinator will invite the social worker to read the agenda. The family network will then be invited to clarify any information given, so they are clear about the task.

The social worker will need to specify any dates that may be important when agreeing a review date. At the review, the plan is checked to see what worked, and what didn’t. The meeting will focus on how to make those things happen. The social worker will need to report on each aspect of the plan that they have responsibility for, and give their view of the plan’s progress.

12. Plan

The independent coordinator will:

Record attendance
Record specific tasks and expected outcomes, against the question being addressed
Record who is responsible for the task, and state the timing
Distribute the plan to all participants within seven days.

The plan is the family’s plan.

13. Complaints

Any complaints received about the service provided by ‘Welcare’ or ‘Family Plans’ should be made to the Family Group Conference Coordinator. Any other complaints made, should go through the Social Care complaints process.

14. Monitoring and Reviewing the Plan

The social worker will monitor the plan’s progression. If unhappy with the progress made, they can identify what further support needs to be put in place to support the plan. Alternatively, it may be appropriate to request (via the independent coordinator) that the review be brought forward. The function of the review is to monitor the plan.

15. Evaluation

The providers ‘Welcare’ and ‘Family Plans’ will ask family members for evaluation.

Any question or information about the quality of the service provided should be discussed with RBKC’s FGC Coordinator.

End