What is a family group conference?

A family group conference (FGC) is a decision making and planning process whereby the wider family group makes plans and decisions for children and young people who have been identified either by the family or by service providers as being in need of a plan that will safeguard and promote their welfare.

This section describes how a family group conference is set up and who does what.

Step 1: The Referral
The family (the term 'family', in the context of FGCs, refers to both blood relatives and to non-related significant family friends or neighbours) agrees the need for an FGC and an independent co-ordinator is appointed. (Each local area will have its own criteria and processes for this). There needs to be an agreement that a plan needs to be made for a child or young person.

The co-ordinator should reflect the race and culture of the family and share the same first language. They will work with the family to set up the meeting.

The process is held in the family's first language with, where necessary, the professionals using interpreters.

Step 2: Preparation for the Meeting
The co-ordinator, in conjunction with the child, young person and their immediate carers, identifies the family network which can include close friends.

Family groups should be facilitated to attend an FGC through financial and practical assistance with travel, the choice of the venue, the availability of interpreters etc.

When inviting family members, a date, time and venue for the meeting, convenient to the family, is agreed. Preparing family members to participate is a key responsibility for the co-ordinator at this stage.

The co-ordinator meets the child or young person to discuss who will be their support person or advocate in the meeting. It is important that a child or young person has someone who is there for both expected and unexpected events. Thought needs to be given to who should fulfil this role, particularly given the family's private time. There may be other people in the family group who will need someone in the conference to support them, and it is the co-ordinator's job to ensure this happens.

The co-ordinator also makes contact with the professional network to organise their attendance at the meeting and to clarify that they have prepared clear, comprehensive and straightforward information about the strengths of the family, their concerns, their legal mandate and about resources available. This information should be provided in an accessible way for the family, and take account of their needs.

Step 3: The Meeting

a) Information Giving
At the start of the meeting, staff from agencies give the family the information they have about the child or young person and about services, resources and support that may be available. It is important that families are given full information in order that they can make decisions that take account of the agencies' concerns. (Only those professionals directly involved, or holding significant information, should attend). The family provide information and can clarify the information and ask any questions they might have. This part of the meeting is chaired by the co-ordinator

b) Private Family Time
The co-ordinator and professionals withdraw, leaving the family to plan in private. The family has three basic tasks:

• To agree a plan that meets the needs of the child/young person;
• To agree contingency plans; and
• To agree how to monitor and review the plan.

The co-ordinator is available during this time should the family need any clarification or additional information. It is an important principle in family group conferences that the family have time to talk among themselves without any staff from agencies being present. The family should be able to meet for as long as they wish in private. Families value the co-ordinator's belief in their ability to come up with a plan.

c) Agreeing the plan
Once the family have agreed a plan, the co-ordinator, the referrer and the key professionals meet the family again to hear the plan and negotiate resources. It is generally the referrer's task to agree the plan. Good practice suggests that, where the professionals are happy with the plan, it should be agreed in principle, even if there is the need for further agreement or negotiation of resources outside of the meeting. The only reason for not agreeing the plan is if it puts the child at risk of significant harm. This needs to be outlined to the family immediately and an opportunity to address concerns given immediately.

It is important that at this point the timescales and the names of those responsible for any tasks are clarified. Contingency plans and reviewing arrangements should also be agreed.

Step 4: Reviewing the Plan
The level of monitoring will depend on the reason for the referral. The family will have their own monitoring arrangements, and will need to know about the professional responsibilities for monitoring. The success of the plan will depend on the family and professionals working together, and informing each other about the progress of the plan.

The way in which the plan is reviewed will depend very much on the needs of the child, young person and family and the statutory responsibilities of any agencies involved. A review family group conference is often recommended and if no date is set, agreeing how family members can initiate the FGC process is important.