Family group conference (FGC)

What is an FGC?

Family group conferences (FGCs) are decision-making meetings to help families find their own solutions to problems.

The meetings encourage and empower a family and their network to use their own strengths and resources to make plans for their children. It is also an opportunity to be informed of any resources that could assist them in improving their family life.

They focus on improving understanding of the concerns and ensuring that everyone feels that they have been listened to, particularly the child or young person.

Why I had an FGC

Camden family group conference service presents 'Why I had an FGC - a short animated film', which introduces FGCs to older young people and describes how an FGC could improve their lives.

It features the stories of local young people experiencing difficulties at home, at school and in the community and how an FGC helped bring about positive changes for them and those around them.

The film also includes a story of a young person who is experiencing difficulties in school and the community and how the FGC made a difference to him and those around him. Camden’s FGC service made the documentary with film-maker Suzanne Cohen and a group of volunteer animation students from London Metropolitan University.

Where can I get a copy of the DVD?

It is available for schools, social care professionals and other local authorities - find out how you can buy the DVD

Family group conference (animation)

Where do FGCs come from?

FGCs are based on the idea of 'hui' - the Maori meaning for a meeting where a collective approach is taken to resolving issues. ‘Hui’ is the traditional form of decision-making in Maori tribal culture. At its heart is the idea that a child is not just raised by their parent/s but by their entire tribe.

FGCs were introduced in New Zealand because Maori children were over-represented in the care system compared to children from other ethnic groups. 

The New Zealand Department for Social Welfare was criticised for lacking cultural sensitivity and failing to involve the children’s wider Maori family networks in decision-making.  In New Zealand, the law was changed in 1989 and FGCs were made a firm part of childcare practice and legislation. 

Although FGCs are not part of the legal framework in the UK, the approach is growing in popularity, with approximately sixty local authorities now running FGCs. 

How long have they been used in Camden?

Family Group Conferences were introduced in Camden on a small-scale in 2000.
Since that time, the service has grown to 15 contract co-ordinators, a full time manager and a part time manager offering three kinds of FGCs - welfare, restorative justice and schools-based.

In the first year of the service we received 10 welfare referrals and 2009 the welfare service alone received 137 referrals for 193 children. 

Since Restorative Justice (RJ) FGCs were introduced in 2004, and Schools-based FGCs in 2007, 44 RJ and Schools FGCs have taken place. This has enabled families to make plans to help their young people change their behaviour or improve their school attendance. In some cases it has also brought together young people and people they may have harmed to jointly find a way of making amends and moving forward.

What kinds of FGCs are there?

There are three kinds of FGCs in Camden – welfare, restorative justice and schools-based. They are available for any child or young person including unborn children fulfilling one of the criteria below.

• Welfare FGCs can be convened when social workers have concerns about children and decisions need to be made about their future
  • download: Child welfare FGC leaflet - information for children and young people
  • download: Child welfare FGC leaflet - information for family, relatives and friends (PDF 200KB)
• Restorative justice FGCs focus on young people involved in anti-social behaviour and offending or bullying
• • download: RJ FGC Leaflet for Families (PDF 286KB)
• Schools-based FGCs can be arranged where there are concerns about a child or young person’s attendance or behaviour at school.
  • download: FGC Schools Leaflet - Families (PDF 86.5 KB)
  • download: FGC Schools Leaflet - Professionals (PDF 270KB)

Frequently asked questions

Have a look at the family group conference FAQ page with quick answers to common questions.

Contact

For further information please:

• contact the Child Welfare FGC team
• contact the restorative justice and schools-based FGC team

User group

After you’ve had your FGC, we’d like to invite you to get involved in improving the service. We have an active young people’s user group who help develop the FGC service in Camden. Recently we have:

• Designed and produced a leaflet working with a local artist
• Taken part in Beatbox workshops and film-making workshops
• Presented our work to social workers, managers and other professionals from Camden Council
• Acted and presented in a DVD about FGCs
• Gained accreditation for film-making
• Worked on a new feedback questionnaire for other young people to use
  and interviewed young people about their FGCs.

If you would like to help shape the future of how FGCs in Camden, make new friends and learn new skills, please contact the Child Welfare FGC team

Currently the group is open to those who are 8 years old and above.