Family Group Conferencing (FGC) and Mediation Service

How we can help

• Family Group Conferencing (FGC) 
• Mediation between parent, carers and young people
• Children and young person advocacy

Family Group Conferencing (FGC)

A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a tool for planning and works well as an early intervention. It can also be used in Child in Need, Child Protection and when considering alternative carers for a child. The conference is a decision making meeting in which the child and the child's wider family network makes a plan about the future arrangements for the child, ensuring that the child is safe and his/her well-being is promoted.

FGCs are intended as a respectful and empowering process in which parents; children and members of the wider family are given clear information about the agency's concerns and asked to produce a plan addressing those concerns and answering specific questions to support this. The referring agency may stipulate a 'bottom line' e.g. that they will not endorse a plan where the child lives with a certain person whom they consider presents a risk to the child

The model places the child and family at the centre of the planning process and provides them with an opportunity to have their voices heard in relation to plans made for their child. There should never be a family plan and a different agency plan; just one plan developed in partnership, with family and agencies working together.

When to consider a Family Group Conference

• Whenever a plan for a child is required
• When there are concerns about a child's safety and well-being
• When parents are struggling to raise their children and meet their need's
• When children are or have been exposed to domestic violence
• When children are or have been exposed to alcohol and or drug misuse
• When children are or have been exposed to parental mental health issues
• When decisions need to be made about how to reduce offending behaviours
• When decisions need to be made about how to manage challenging behaviours
• To agree contact with a parent or family when a child is in care or cared for by another family member or friend
• To agree contact when parents have separated and are in dispute and are unable to prioritise their children needs
• When decisions need to be made about where a child is going to live if they cannot stay at home
• When there are difficulties with a child's education such as poor or late school attendance
• When plans need to be made for a young person who is about to leave, or has left, the care system
• When an Initial Assessment is completed and the strategy meeting decision is to commence core assessment under Section 47 of Children's Act 1989
• When the child protection conference or core group meeting has decided to ask the family to have a Family Group Conference to help develop the child protection plan
• When an Emergency Protection Order (EPO) is in place - where a child has been removed under an EPO and a plan is required for the safe return of the child to the family / wider network
• When a Core Assessment and a need for support is identified to enable a child to remain with their family or alternative carers
• When a child is likely to be accommodated under Section 20 or made subject to Care Proceedings
• When a decision has been reached that a child cannot return to her / his previous carers and permanency arrangements are required
• When the Social Worker is highlighting a need for permanency planning and considering commencing legal proceedings
• As part of a Pre-birth Assessment
• Prior to a LAC review - if the child or young person is expressing a wish to return to their family network
• When a looked after child's placement is at risk of breakdown
• When a parent/carer is making or considering making an application to Court to seek reunification of their child / children

Consent

The FGC will only proceed if someone with parental responsibility (PR) agrees to the referral. This verbal consent will need to be obtained by the referrer prior to submitting the referral. The FGC Coordinator will obtain further signed consent from someone with parental responsibility to gather and share information for the purpose of the FGC and to involve the child or young person within the process.

Please note that the processes are voluntary and consent can be withdrawn at any stage throughout the process.

Limitations

• Families who refuse to consent to share information
• No family identified
• No safe adult identified within the family network

How do Family Group Conferences work?

The meeting is arranged by an independent FGC Coordinator who meets everyone first to prepare for the meeting. Social Workers and other professionals attend part of the meeting:

• explain their worries about the child and what needs to be addressed by the family in their plan. This is done at the start of the meeting (stage 1)
• agree the family's plan (provided it will keep the child safe) and confirm what help they will provide the family. This is done at the end of the meeting (stage 3)

The conference

• Information sharing (stage 1)
• Private family time (stage 2)
• Plan presented and agreed (stage 3)

Mediation 

We are also able to offer mediation between parents, carers, young people and between parents and or family members, promoting the best outcome for their children. Mediation can help young people and their families to work through the difficult issues that they are experiencing, understand the issues causing the breakdown in their relationship or the dispute and then try to find solutions together. Mediation aims to clear up misunderstandings from the past and resolve communication difficulties from the present, promoting healthier relationships.

Mediation is a free, informal, confidential and voluntary process which involves an independent facilitator (Mediator) helping those in dispute to identify unmet needs, understand each other and to reach agreements that are acceptable to all.

Mediators facilitate the meeting in an independent, neutral, non-judgemental and fair manner, ensuring that everyone is given equal time to talk and be listened to. Our Mediators ensure that the focus of the meeting remains on the needs of the child or young person and moving forward. Everyone's safety is paramount throughout. This service can be accessed by families themselves, with verbal consent or referred in by a professional on the family's behalf.

Consent

Mediation is available to Plymouth families and can be accessed with your consent, by referral from a professional who is working with you or your children.

Consent is required for all involved and can be withdrawn at any time

Limitations

• Family Mediation - separation, divorce, finance or anything rights based
• MIAMs meetings - (mediation, information and assessment meetings)
• C100 Forms or court papers
• Minimum age of 12

Advocacy for Children and Young People

As part of the FGC, consent will be obtained from someone with parental responsibility for the child/children to be seen privately by an Independent Advocate. Advocacy is about being the voice of the child or young person, to make sure that their rights are respected and their views and wishes are heard. Advocacy is about representing the views, wishes and needs of children and young people and ensuring that their views and wishes are genuinely considered when decisions are being made about their lives.

The Advocate will support the child or young person to prepare for the FGC meeting, decide who and how their views and wishes will be shared and if they will attend all or part of the conference. If they choose not to attend, the Advocate will share their views and wishes on their behalf.

Definition

"Where children and young people have their own voice, advocacy means making sure children and young people are heard, where they have difficulty speaking up advocacy means providing help, where children and young people have no voice advocacy means speaking up for them." (CROA's training pack)

Limitations

Advocacy can be offered to children and young people between the ages of 5 - 17. However, this can be extended to the age of 25, if there is a care leaver or vulnerable adult involved. 

Complaints and comments

If you have any comments about Family & Community Solutions or suggestions about how we can make things better we want to hear from you. In the first instance, please contact the office on 01752 306861. We hope problems can be sorted out quickly and easily by speaking with the person you normally see from social services, but if you'd like to speak to someone different, you can complain to our Customer Relations Team. 

How to complain

If you're a child with a social worker you can complain using our contact card system - get a card from your Social Worker or call free on 0800 068 1249.

You can complain:

• by telephone - call free on 0800 068 1249
• by email - send your complaint to complaints.social.services@plymouth.gov.uk
• by letter - write to the Customer Relations Team, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth PL1 3BJ
• in person - talk to your Co-ordinator or their Manager about your concerns or speak to our Customer Relations Team (please contact us to make an appointment)
• by filling in our complaints form

We'll look into your complaint and let you know what happens next.