Legal & Court

Family Group Conferences: Complete Guide for Social Workers

January 2025•12 min read

What is a Family Group Conference?

A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a family-led decision-making meeting that brings together wider family members to develop a plan for a child's care and safety. The process is based on the principle that families, given the right information and support, are best placed to make decisions about their children.

FGCs originated in New Zealand, where they're a legal requirement in child protection cases. In England, they're recommended practice under Working Together but not mandatory.

Core Principles

Family-Led Decision Making

The family develops the plan, not professionals. The social worker sets the "bottom lines" (non-negotiable requirements for safety), but the family decides how to meet them.

Wider Family Involvement

FGCs typically involve the extended family network—grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and significant others in the child's life.

Private Family Time

A key feature of FGCs is that professionals leave the room and the family has private time to develop their plan.

Key principle: The FGC recognises that families have resources, knowledge, and commitment that professionals don't have. They know their family members, their history, and what might work for them.

When to Use FGCs

Appropriate Situations

  • When a child may need to live away from their parents
  • When family support is needed for the child to remain at home
  • Pre-birth, when concerns are identified during pregnancy
  • During care proceedings, to identify family options
  • Before a child becomes looked after
  • When planning for a child to leave care

Benefits

  • Identifies family resources that may not be known to professionals
  • Increases family ownership of the plan
  • Can prevent the need for care proceedings
  • Strengthens family connections for the child
  • Respects families' rights to be involved in decisions

The FGC Process

Stage 1: Referral

  • Social worker refers to FGC service
  • Decision about whether FGC is appropriate
  • Independent coordinator assigned

Stage 2: Preparation

The coordinator:

  • Meets with family members individually
  • Explains the process
  • Identifies who should attend
  • Addresses any concerns or conflicts
  • Prepares family members for the conference
  • Gathers information from professionals

Stage 3: The Conference

Part 1: Information Sharing

  • Coordinator welcomes everyone
  • Professionals share concerns
  • Child's views presented
  • The "question" is clearly stated (what the family needs to decide)
  • Bottom lines (non-negotiables) are explained

Part 2: Private Family Time

  • Professionals leave the room
  • Family discusses and develops their plan
  • This may take several hours
  • Coordinator available if needed but not present

Part 3: Agreeing the Plan

  • Professionals return
  • Family presents their plan
  • Plan is checked against bottom lines
  • If the plan meets the bottom lines, it is agreed
  • Responsibilities and review dates confirmed

Document FGC Outcomes

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The Social Worker's Role

Before the FGC

  • Make the referral
  • Provide clear information about concerns
  • Define the bottom lines (what must be in the plan)
  • Be clear about what decisions the family can make

At the FGC

  • Present information clearly and honestly
  • Answer questions
  • Leave during private family time
  • Be open to the family's plan
  • Agree the plan if it meets the bottom lines

After the FGC

  • Support implementation of the plan
  • Monitor that the plan is working
  • Return to FGC if the plan needs review

Setting Bottom Lines

Bottom lines are the non-negotiable requirements for child safety. They should be:

  • Specific: Clear about what's needed
  • Safety-focused: Related to protecting the child
  • Minimum necessary: Not an exhaustive wish list
  • Achievable: Something the family can realistically address

Examples of Bottom Lines

  • "The child must never be left alone with [named person]"
  • "There must be an adult caring for the child at all times who has not been drinking"
  • "The child must attend school every day"

Common Challenges

Family Conflict

Careful preparation by the coordinator can address many conflicts. Sometimes people need to be supported to attend separately or to manage their participation.

Domestic Abuse

Special care is needed in domestic abuse situations. The safety of victims must be paramount. FGCs may still be possible with appropriate planning.

Plan Doesn't Meet Bottom Lines

If the family's plan doesn't address the bottom lines, it can't be agreed. The family may need more time or information, or the local authority may need to make alternative plans.

Implementation Fails

Plans may not work in practice. Regular review and willingness to reconvene the FGC are important.

FGCs and Care Proceedings

FGCs can be valuable during care proceedings:

  • Identifying family members who might care for the child
  • Creating a safety network for the child to remain at home
  • Planning contact arrangements
  • Supporting reunification

Courts are increasingly expecting local authorities to offer FGCs before or during proceedings.

Conclusion

Family Group Conferences are a powerful way of involving families in decisions about their children. When families are given the right information and support, they often come up with creative solutions that work better than professionally-imposed plans. The key is genuine commitment to family-led decision-making, clear bottom lines, and willingness to accept and support the family's plan.