البـــــوابـــة
FAMILY GROUP CONFERENCING
Introduction
Family Group Conferencing is a family centred, strengths orientated, culturally sensitive and community based approach to family decision making and case planning. It helps to engage and empower families to make decisions that protect and support their children.
Family Group Conferencing is based on the belief that, given the right resources, information and the empowerment, a family group will make safe and appropriate decisions for their children. The role of professionals are critical, to assist the facilitation of decision-making, by providing information, resources and expertise to assist the family group in this process.
What is Family Group Conferencing?
Family Group Conferencing is a partnership approach to decision-making about children and young people.
At the conference, family members are informed about the nature of the concerns, and what supports and services are available to them. They are assisted in making plans for the child or young person.
The conference is organised and chaired by a facilitator who is independent of decision-making and case management responsibility. While the facilitator has substantial contact with family members in the lead up to a conference, the facilitator will not have ongoing role with the family after the conference unless another family group conference is needed.
Family Group Conferences can be convened to prevent children from entering the care system. In other instances, a Family Group Conference can be convened if a foster placement breaks down; or if a child or young person is to be released from a detention centre and needs assistance in transition back into the community; or to promote contact with the child or young person’s immediate and extended family.
Sharing Information with the family
Sharing information within the family is an essential component of a Family Group Conference. The facilitator ensures that families have sufficient information to feel comfortable about attending a conference and that they are clear about the process and all possible outcomes.
The meeting should hold no ‘surprises’ for the family, in that information to be discussed at the meeting should be known to all parties. The emphasis in the meeting is on working out a safe and practical plan. The focus is on the current situation and planning for the future.
Who arranges the conference?
The facilitator will contact members of the immediate and extended family and invite them to the conference. The facilitator, in consultation with the family and the case worker arranges the time, venue and other practical arrangements. The facilitator may also invite an advocate to attend as a support person for the child or young person or another member of the family who is considered especially vulnerable.
The role of the case worker?
Both the case worker and their supervisor should attend the conference. Their role is primarily to provide information about concerns for the child or young person and support strategies for the family.
The role of other professionals and service providers?
Professionals and service providers are also invited to attend the conference. Their main role is to provide information about their services to assist the family in their decision making.
The Conference
Family Group Conferencing has three parts:
Part one: Introductions and Information Sharing:
The facilitator will clarify why the meeting has been called and what the family is being asked to do. Invited agency workers who can assist, will provide information and/or tell the family about the services they can offer. The family can ask the workers or the facilitator questions so that they fully understand the task, including any safety issues which may need to be addressed.
Part two: Private Time:
The family will be left to talk in private and reach a decision in their own time. The facilitator and all those who are not part of the family (or close friends) will leave while the family discuss their plan for how they can support each other in caring for the child or young person.
Part three: Discussion of the Plan
The family presents their plan for the future care and/or wellbeing of the child or young person to the facilitator and to the caseworker and their supervisor. Some discussions and negotiations may need to take place before agreement is reached.
Before the Family Group Conference is finished the facilitator will make sure that everyone understands what has been agreed.
Where does a Family Group Conference take place?
The Family Group Conference may take place within the family home or a community setting. Family Group Conferences do not run to a set timetable and key participants need to remain until the conference has reached its conclusion.
What happens after a Family Group Conference?
All parties to the Conference will be sent a copy of the family agreement.
The family agreement details the arrangements agreed to by the parties for the wellbeing of the child or young person.
Information discussed at the Family Group Conference cannot be used in court. Family Group Conference information is known as ‘sensitive information.’ Sensitive information is ‘protected’ information under the Children and Young People Act 2008.
Registration of Family Agreements
A record of the Family Agreement can be registered in the A.C.T. Children’s Court if the parties agree that daily care responsibility or long-term care responsibility for a child or young person should be transferred from a person to someone else (other than the chief executive); or shared with a person (other than the chief executive) who would not otherwise have that aspect of parental responsibility for the child or young person.
Introduction
Family Group Conferencing is a family centred, strengths orientated, culturally sensitive and community based approach to family decision making and case planning. It helps to engage and empower families to make decisions that protect and support their children.
Family Group Conferencing is based on the belief that, given the right resources, information and the empowerment, a family group will make safe and appropriate decisions for their children. The role of professionals are critical, to assist the facilitation of decision-making, by providing information, resources and expertise to assist the family group in this process.
What is Family Group Conferencing?
Family Group Conferencing is a partnership approach to decision-making about children and young people.
At the conference, family members are informed about the nature of the concerns, and what supports and services are available to them. They are assisted in making plans for the child or young person.
The conference is organised and chaired by a facilitator who is independent of decision-making and case management responsibility. While the facilitator has substantial contact with family members in the lead up to a conference, the facilitator will not have ongoing role with the family after the conference unless another family group conference is needed.
Family Group Conferences can be convened to prevent children from entering the care system. In other instances, a Family Group Conference can be convened if a foster placement breaks down; or if a child or young person is to be released from a detention centre and needs assistance in transition back into the community; or to promote contact with the child or young person’s immediate and extended family.
Sharing Information with the family
Sharing information within the family is an essential component of a Family Group Conference. The facilitator ensures that families have sufficient information to feel comfortable about attending a conference and that they are clear about the process and all possible outcomes.
The meeting should hold no ‘surprises’ for the family, in that information to be discussed at the meeting should be known to all parties. The emphasis in the meeting is on working out a safe and practical plan. The focus is on the current situation and planning for the future.
Who arranges the conference?
The facilitator will contact members of the immediate and extended family and invite them to the conference. The facilitator, in consultation with the family and the case worker arranges the time, venue and other practical arrangements. The facilitator may also invite an advocate to attend as a support person for the child or young person or another member of the family who is considered especially vulnerable.
The role of the case worker?
Both the case worker and their supervisor should attend the conference. Their role is primarily to provide information about concerns for the child or young person and support strategies for the family.
The role of other professionals and service providers?
Professionals and service providers are also invited to attend the conference. Their main role is to provide information about their services to assist the family in their decision making.
The Conference
Family Group Conferencing has three parts:
Part one: Introductions and Information Sharing:
The facilitator will clarify why the meeting has been called and what the family is being asked to do. Invited agency workers who can assist, will provide information and/or tell the family about the services they can offer. The family can ask the workers or the facilitator questions so that they fully understand the task, including any safety issues which may need to be addressed.
Part two: Private Time:
The family will be left to talk in private and reach a decision in their own time. The facilitator and all those who are not part of the family (or close friends) will leave while the family discuss their plan for how they can support each other in caring for the child or young person.
Part three: Discussion of the Plan
The family presents their plan for the future care and/or wellbeing of the child or young person to the facilitator and to the caseworker and their supervisor. Some discussions and negotiations may need to take place before agreement is reached.
Before the Family Group Conference is finished the facilitator will make sure that everyone understands what has been agreed.
Where does a Family Group Conference take place?
The Family Group Conference may take place within the family home or a community setting. Family Group Conferences do not run to a set timetable and key participants need to remain until the conference has reached its conclusion.
What happens after a Family Group Conference?
All parties to the Conference will be sent a copy of the family agreement.
The family agreement details the arrangements agreed to by the parties for the wellbeing of the child or young person.
Information discussed at the Family Group Conference cannot be used in court. Family Group Conference information is known as ‘sensitive information.’ Sensitive information is ‘protected’ information under the Children and Young People Act 2008.
Registration of Family Agreements
A record of the Family Agreement can be registered in the A.C.T. Children’s Court if the parties agree that daily care responsibility or long-term care responsibility for a child or young person should be transferred from a person to someone else (other than the chief executive); or shared with a person (other than the chief executive) who would not otherwise have that aspect of parental responsibility for the child or young person.
