What is Family Group Conference?
A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a family-led, restorative approach that brings together children, family members, friends and other important people to make a plan when support or important decisions are needed for a child.
FGCs recognise that families know their relationships, strengths, culture and circumstances best. With clear information and the right support to take part, families are given private time to explore their options and develop their own plan.
What makes FGC different?
An independent FGC Coordinator works alongside the child and family to prepare for the conference. They help identify who is important to the child and consider what everyone needs to participate safely and meaningfully.
The process is shaped around the family’s relationships, culture, identity, communication needs and preferred ways of taking part.
An FGC includes:
- Preparation – the coordinator meets with the child, family and other important people.
- Information sharing – professionals clearly explain strengths, concerns and what the plan needs to address.
- Private family time – the family has space, without professionals present, to talk and develop its plan.
- The family plan – the plan is supported where it safely addresses the identified concerns
When can FGC help?
Consider an FGC early, and whenever an important plan or decision is needed for a child, including Child in Need or Child Protection planning, Pre-Proceedings (PLO), possible family breakdown or entry to care, reunification, and kinship or connected persons planning.
FGCs can help strengthen family networks, identify safe family-led solutions and build shared understanding between families and professionals.
What can FGC offer?
At its heart, an FGC creates an opportunity for families to be heard, children to be meaningfully involved and wider family networks to be part of finding a way forward.
It can lead to stronger support around a child, greater shared responsibility and plans that reflect both the child’s needs and the family’s own knowledge, relationships, culture and strengths.
Family Group Conferences ask a simple but important question:
Who matters to this child, and how can we bring those people together to help make a safe and sustainable plan?
When should FGC be considered?
An FGC can be helpful whenever an important decision or plan is needed for a child. This may include:
- Child in Need planning
- Child Protection planning
- Pre-Proceedings (PLO)
- Concerns about family relationships or possible family breakdown
- Situations where a child may enter care
- Family reunification
- Kinship and connected persons planning
- Other significant decisions about a child’s safety, wellbeing or future
Think about an FGC early. Families do not need to have reached crisis point before their wider network is brought together.
Why offer an FGC?
FGCs support Devon’s commitment to relational and restorative practice by creating opportunities to work with families rather than making plans for them.
An FGC can help families and professionals to:
- Bring together wider family and support networks
- Identify safe and sustainable family-led solutions
- Strengthen relationships and sources of support
- Respond earlier when families are experiencing difficulties
- Explore family and network options where a child may otherwise enter care
- Support reunification, permanence and safety planning
- Build shared understanding between families and professionals
Useful Links
- Levels of Need framework:
- Relational practice – Support for schools and settings
- Family Group Conference Plus – Children, families and education
FGC locality contacts
Please contact us directly to discuss any queries, or if you would like to know more, at fgcplus@devon.gov.uk
Karen Ninnis- North and Mid FGC Team Manager karen.ninnis@devon.gov.uk
Kelly Tanner- Exeter and East FGC Team Manager kelly.tanner@devon.gov.uk
Alexandra Ryan- South and West FGC Team Manager alexandra.ryan@devon.gov.uk