Family Group Conferencing for Effective Decision-Making and Support
Family Group Conferencing offers a platform for families to collaboratively make decisions and plans to support children. It empowers parents, prevents family breakdowns, and reduces legal costs. The process involves obtaining consent, coordinator allocation, information sharing, private family time, and plan formulation.
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Presentation Transcript
The Family Group Conferencing Service
A Family Group Conference is the best way for families to be involved in decision making and planning to support children and young people. Families may not have had the opportunity before to get together and discuss how best to support each other and the child. It is a successful strategy for achieving better outcomes for children, & reducing numbers of children in LA care. Why have a Family Group Conference?
To empower parents and families to make decisions and safe plans for their children. To prevent family breakdown and reduce the likelihood of children and young people becoming looked after . Aims of the Wirral FGC Service To place the child s views as central to decision-making . To use the strengths and resources of the family to maximum potential. To reduce legal costs and costs of accommodating children outside of the family.
For a Family Meeting to go ahead, the person with parental responsibility must consent for the coordinator to- 1 - Proceed with the Family Group Conference / Meeting. Consent 2 - Disclose the concerns to other family members. 3 - Meet with the child/ren or young person. *This can be withdrawn at any time.*
Once a referral is submitted via Liquid Logic, the case is picked up/allocated to a coordinator. How does it work The coordinator meets with SW/referrer for a brief planning meeting to discuss the referral. This brief planning meeting is to ensure there have been no changes in circumstances since the referral was made and also to clarify issues and questions to be addressed at Family Group Conference.
Coordinators Preparation
Part 1 Information Giving Everyone gets together and the information on the agenda is shared again so that will help the family make a plan for the child/ren or young person, including information about what support can be offered to the family from the Social Worker. At the Family Meeting
Part 2 Private Family Time The family are left alone to talk in private family time to come up with their plan there are no time limits for this. Professionals do not interrupt unless the family invite them back for advice or answers to any questions they may have. At the Family Meeting
Part 3 Presenting the plan. The family then present their plan to the co-ordinator and referrer, for the plan to be agreed by the Social worker / Lead Professional and to discuss any support that may be required. Referrals from early help may not need the referrer to agree as this is the families decision. The plan should be agreed as long as it is safe for the child/ren or young person. Everyone present will be sent a copy of the plan. A review date can be agreed to see how things are going. At the Family Meeting
All referring Social Workers Must: Decide what it is that you want the FGC to address what are the concerns/questions you want the family to make a plan for? Discuss with the family prior to referral and seek their agreement. Discuss with manager/service manager what is acceptable and what is not the bottom line? Making a Social Care referral Complete all parts of the referral form (1&2). Give full commitment in liasing with the coordinator and attending the meeting. Submit the referral via liquid logic. The FGC manager will then allocate the referral and the Coordinator will contact the referrer to discuss the referral in more detail.
Depending on capacity within the team, a referral may need to be awaiting allocation for a short while. The service will aim to have the Family Group Conference arranged within 6 weeks of allocating the referral. Time Scales Good preparation is shown to be key in the success of a Family Group Conference, therefore preparation time is always needed.
For further information and enquiries please contact: The Family Group Conferencing Team on 0151 666 4942 / 4947 FGC Service, Devon Gardens, Rock Ferry, Wirral, CH42 4RF Contact Information
