Family group conference

A family group conference (FGC) is a meeting for family and friends to come together and be involved in decisions about a child. It enables families and friends to take responsibility for the child and find solutions to address family and professional concerns.

When we arrange a conference

We will arrange an FGC when:

• we need to keep a child or children safe from harm
• we need to a decide where a child should live or if they should return from care to the family
• the family needs help to cope better
• a child or children are not attending school
• to prevent a child or children from being excluded from school, or after exclusion, to address how to return
• a child or children are at risk of offending, or their offending behaviour needs addressing

How we arranged a conference

An independent FGC coordinator will help you arrange the meeting and help prepare everyone who will attend.

The coordinator will help you decide who needs to attend the meeting and where and when you want it to occur. The coordinator ensures the child feels supported at the meeting so everyone can hear their wishes and feelings. 

The coordinator will help set a meeting date, time, and venue, and organise refreshments for family and guests.

At the conference

There are three parts to the family group conference.

1. Information sharing

Your family and those who work with you meet to share their concerns and discuss what help might be available within the family and elsewhere. Everyone, including the child (if they wish), can speak and ask any questions.

2. Private family time

Your family and friends have time alone to discuss what you have heard in information sharing. You will then come up with a plan to try and make things better and safer for your child in the future.

3. Sharing the plan

When you are ready, the coordinator and the people working with your family will rejoin you so that you can share your plan.

The plan is usually agreed upon unless it places the child at risk of harm.

After the family group conference

A date will be agreed upon to review how the plan is working. The coordinator will send a copy of the plan to everyone invited to the meeting within 3 to 5 working days.

Your coordinator will reach out to you a couple of weeks before the review to agree on arrangements.