Family Group Conferencing

What is a Family Group Conference (FGC)?

• Family group conferencing brings your family members, friends, and others who care about you and your child(ren) together to plan for the safety and well-being of your child(ren).

Who is in the family?

• Your family is made up of your relatives, friends, and anyone who feels like family to you.

Why use FGC?

• It gives everyone the opportunity to discuss the safety and well-being of your child(ren).
• You know your child(ren) and other family members best.
• It helps you consider the resources available within and outside your family, and how best to utilize them.
• The open dialogue gives you the opportunity to understand the opinions of professionals and other family members.

How is the meeting arranged?

• You can make a request for a FGC through your CAS case worker. Your CAS case worker then contacts the Coordinator to arrange a meeting with you.
• The Coordinator will explain the Conference process, ask you who belongs to your family, what other people you feel are part of the family, and how they can be contacted.
• The Coordinator will approach these people, and invite them to and ask them who else should attend.
• The Coordinator will also ask you which service providers should attend the meeting, and may also suggest speakers who could bring useful information.
• Child care, refreshments, and a good meal will be provided, as well as travel arrangements.

How long does it take?

• The meeting lasts until at least one plan of care has been presented by the family. Please set aside the day for the conference.

What happens in a FGC?

• Welcome and Information
  • The Coordinator greets and welcomes everyone, and opens the meeting as per your family’s traditions.
  • The purpose of the meeting is outlined and everyone introduces themselves, and shares a hope for the day.
  • Guidelines for respectful discussion are outlined.
  • Safety plans are outlined, if needed.
  • Service providers share information about the strengths and worries about the family.
  • Speakers share specific information about issues and suggest services that could be available. 
     
• Family Private Time
  • The family group has time to meet alone to consider new ways to help the child and family.
  • A plan is agreed upon within the family group private time. 
     
• Review of Plan
  • The plan you and your family develop is presented to the CAS case worker and supervisor.
  • The details of putting the plan into place are discussed and accepted.
  • A time to meet again to review progress may be set.
  • A copy of the plan will be sent to you within 10 days of the meeting. 
    
    
• What you can expect?
  • To share your view of the situation with the family.
  • To share opinion on how best to deal with the situation.
  • To work together as a family to present a plan, or plans which ensures the safety and care of everyone in the family.

How to prepare for the FGC:

• Imagine what the meeting might be like.
• Think about how you might feel.
• Plan what you want to say and if it helps, write it down.
• Reflect on how you may affect others, and how they might feel.
• Consider what you want from the meeting.
• Help the family member to express their opinion and to feel safe, if you have been invited to be someone’s support person.

What to expect from the Service Provider:

• Will identify the strengths in the family.
• Will share their concerns with the family.
• Will be clear about any bottom lines they have for the family.
• Will mention any resources that may be useful to the family.

The role of a resource person / speaker is to:

• Use clear language to describe how the problem can affect a family and its members.
• Outline what other families with this type of problem have used and what might be available to this family.