Hertfordshire Social Work Procedures Manual

Family Group Conferences

Scope of this chapter

This chapter outlines the Hertfordshire approach to Family Group Conferences (FGC). The circumstances in which they may be used is described along with the process for making a referral to the Family Group Conference Service.

Amendment

This chapter was revised and updated throughout in May 2025 and should be re-read in full.

May 21, 2025

1. What is a Family Group Conference?

A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a family-led meeting and a safe space where the family network can come together to make a realistic support plan, for a child, young person and their parents or carers.

The FGC is a voluntary process, facilitated by an independent FGC coordinator who helps the family prepare for the FGC and chairs the meeting. Children and young people are usually involved in their own FGC, often with the support from an advocate.

Before the initial FGC meeting, the family will have a discussion with the coordinator, working collaboratively to focus on:

What the concerns are for the child/ren;
What the plan will need to address;
What resources are available;
What will happen if the current situation does not change.

The FGC is a strengths-based approach that recognises the family's own expertise and skills on how best to resolve their difficulties and come up with solutions. It is a positive opportunity for the Local Authority (LA) and the family to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children. The LA will support the family's plan, where possible, unless it continues to place a child/young person at risk of significant harm.

2. Why do we use Family Group Conferences?

Family Group Conferences (FGC) are a well-established family group decision making offer to families in Hertfordshire, managed by our Accredited FGC Service.

"A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a specific model of FGDM which has strong evidence of diverting children from care" (Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive, 2024).

FGC's have been proven, through research, to help produce better outcomes for children and young people by keeping them within their family or community.

The Department for Education Court Orders and Proceedings Guidance (2014) for Local Authorities states that "Local Authorities should consider referring the family to a family group conference service if they believe there is a possibility the child may not be able to remain with their parents, or in any event before a child/young person becomes looked after, unless this would be a risk to the child/young person."

The Public Law Outline clearly indicates that FGCs must be considered prior to any proceedings and before decisions are taken on whether a child/young person should go into care.

Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024 is proposing a measure to mandate Local Authorities to offer a 'family group decision-making' meeting at the point the Local Authority is seriously considering applying to the Court for a Care or Supervision Order, to give all families an opportunity to come together and make a Family plan in response to concerns regarding the child/young person's welfare. In Hertfordshire, this should be an FGC.

The offer must be included in the letter sent by the Local Authority to the child/young person's parents or any other person with parental responsibility for the child/young person, before they make an application for an order in relation to the child/young person (letter before proceedings).

FGCs are recognised as an effective way to unlock the potential of family networks to support and safeguard their children. Independent Review (Care Review) of Children's Social Care (2022).

There is further evidence to support this; Foundations Research 2023 found that those children/young people who had an FGC at the pre proceedings stage were less likely to go into care, less likely to have care proceedings issued, and spend less time in care when they do enter. The Youth Endowment Fund Webinar highlights The evidence Base & Best Practice for FGCs.

The Family Rights Group

3. When to use an FGC

An FGC can be effectively used at any stage in Children's Services involvement with a child, young person, and their family, from; Early Help, Youth Justice, Child in Need, Child Protection, Public Law Outline (PLO), Children Looked After (CLA), Permanency Planning and Reunification Back to Family.

An FGC will enable a family network to come together to make a family plan that can:

Help support a child or young person who has unmet needs;
Help prevent a child or young person from suffering significant harm;
Help prevent a child or young person from becoming Looked After;
Support Pre-Proceedings / Public Law Outline processes;
Support Care Planning in Legal Proceedings;
Help with co-parenting and preventing family / placement breakdown;
Help a child or young person to leave care and return to the care of their family or friends;
Help prevent anti-social or offending behaviour.

In Hertfordshire, we believe that families should be supported to come together and find solutions from within their own networks at the earliest opportunity; FGCs offer this possibility.

3.1 Who can refer for an FGC?

A lead professional who works within Children Services can refer a family for an FGC, most commonly these include:

A child or young person's Social Worker;
Family / Children / Adolescents practitioner;
Family Intervention Worker;
Life Coach.

Other professionals (e.g. health visitors, teachers, Children's Centre Workers) can consult with the Lead Professional who will then consider making the referral.

Parents, carers, and young people can also self-refer for an FGC via the lead professional or by contacting the FGC Service directly (via phone, email or webpage form). Please see: Family group conference service - Hertfordshire County Council.

3.2 Prior to Referring for an FGC

All lead professionals are encouraged, as part of their assessment, to discuss and identify who can help and support families from within their own networks, using tools such as Eco Maps & Genograms.

Relevant information gathered including contact details of key network members can be added to the FGC referral.

To ensure the successful uptake and participation by Families in the FGC process, all lead professionals should share the FGC Film (What is a Family Group Conference?) and FGC leaflets with Family members and discuss how an FGC could be helpful.

An FGC is a voluntary process; therefore, it is important that prior to making a referral, consent has been gained by those with Parental Responsibility for the child / young person directly. Consent to take part in the FGC process can also be withdrawn at any point and it is important that family members know this.

If you are unsure if and how to make a referral for an FGC, there is a weekly Teams Drop In Session held on Tuesdays between 12-2 or contact can be made via FGC@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

The FGC Service are happy to contact those individuals with Parental Responsibility for the child or young person directly to talk to them about how an FGC may be helpful.

3.3 How to make a referral?

A referral for an FGC should be made by completing the Family Group Conference Referral Form in the Child's record on LCS/EHM. The lead professional can contact the FGC Manager/Support Officer of the Family Group Conference Service for any further support required. For further guidance please see top tips for making an FGC referral.

Once the referral has been made and accepted, the FGC service will contact the referrer within 5 working days.

The FGC coordinator will only contact the family after the referral discussion has taken place.

The FGC coordinator and the referrer will work together to complete a short report (FGC Report) for the family, outlining the strengths of the family, concerns/reasons for an FGC and set out the questions to be addressed at the FGC. This report will need to be agreed by the referrer before the coordinator can undertake the initial visit with the family.

4. Before The Meeting

4.1 Initial Visit

At an initial visit to the family, the FGC Coordinator will:

Introduce themselves and explain the purpose of the FGC, sharing leaflets and the FGC film;
Confirm understanding and consent for the FGC process to go ahead;
Share the FGC report outlining the family strengths, concerns and questions for family to answer at the FGC and confirm agreement to share this with the family network;
Identify with the parents / carers who the significant people in the network are, by using tools such as Genograms. Gather contact details of the family network to contact them about the FGC;
Listen and identify with the family any concerns or barriers to participation in the FGC and start to plan how these will be overcome;
Gain consent and plan how children/young people will be involved in their FGC;
Identify potential date, times, and venues for the FGC.

4.2 Who comes to the FGC?

The child or young person (if they want to come);
Their parents or carers;
Other relatives e.g. maternal / paternal grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and stepfamilies;
Their trusted friends and/or neighbours;
The family's lead professional;
FGC independent coordinators facilitating the conference;
A translator or sign language interpreter, if needed;
A child or adult advocate, if required.

5. Including children/young people in their FGC

FGC coordinators will gain consent of parents/carers to meet with the child/ren/young person (CYP) to explain the FGC process, explore their wishes and feelings, identify who they would like to attend the meeting and involve them in the planning process.

They will explore any areas of support they feel would be beneficial.

If the child/young person does not want to attend the FGC, the coordinator will support them by sharing their views at the FGC. This could be through a letter to their family, a picture/drawing, photographs, or recording a video. Consideration will also be given to calling them into the meeting by phone or video.

If it is not deemed appropriate for the FGC coordinator to meet with the child/young person, the expectation is for the lead professional to take on this role and share their views at the FGC.

6. Preparing the network for the FGC

The coordinator will explore and contact all the family / network members identified. Where possible the coordinator will undertake home visits to members to explain the purpose and process of the FGC.

The coordinator will share the current concerns and help them to identify the strengths and support that the family / network can offer to the children/young people and parents/carers.

The questions will be shared with the network to enable them to prepare their realistic offers of support prior to the FGC. These can include financial, practical, and emotional offers of support.

7. Inclusion and Support

If any family/network members are unable to take part in the FGC, their offers of support will be gathered by the coordinator to share at the FGC;
Virtual attendance via video/telephone call will be possible;
Vulnerable adults may need support to attend/take part in an FGC. Support will be offered to identify an advocate or another family member;
If there are communication needs, these will be addressed and support offered throughout the process to individuals to enable them to take part in the FGC process;
Information about the FGC can be provided in different languages & formats upon request;
The FGC venue should be a neutral venue, i.e. not belong to Children's Services or be held at a family home, unless there are concerns around access or risk;
Mobility / access to buildings and facilities will be discussed with network;
Support with transport to attend an FGC will also be discussed with network.

8. At the Family Group Conference

The FGC coordinator chairs the FGC and the lead professional must attend. This is a clear expectation and is firmly established as good practice in Hertfordshire.

The FGC is separated into three parts:

Information sharing - The coordinator will welcome the network and reaffirm the FGC purpose and process. Everyone will then introduce themselves. The lead professional will explain the concerns and what needs to change, then answer any questions the family has;
Private Family Time - The coordinator and lead professional will give the family questions to discuss then leave the room. Families can take breaks, ask for help, and take as long as they need to create their plan of support.
The coordinator and lead professional will be available to answer questions from the family during private time if the need arises. (they will be situated in a nearby room);
Agreeing the plan - When the family have completed their plan, the coordinator and lead professional will come back in. They'll go through the plan and agree any actions.

Any resources or support needed from Children's Services will be discussed and agreed. (The lead professional will have spoken to their manager prior to the meeting/or be able to access management support / decision making if the family have a request that they would like to incorporate into the plan).

If agreement cannot be given immediately by the lead professional for these resources, then a date will be identified by when the lead professional will have a decision about them.

The lead professional at the FGC will agree the family plan on behalf of Children's Services unless it places the child/young person at risk of significant harm. If for any reason, the plan cannot be agreed (e.g. awaiting outcome of Court) then a date will be set out on when the plan will be agreed and shared with the family/network.

The coordinator will support the family in identifying who within the family will monitor the family plan and what actions will be taken if the plan is not working. Agreement will also be made as to how the plan will be supported and integrated into other plans or Children Services processes.

The FGC coordinator will check whether the family wishes to have an FGC Review and if so, a date will be agreed with the family.

At the end of the meeting, the FGC coordinator will hand out Evaluation Forms to the network and the lead professional to be completed. These forms will be used to evaluate the service and inform any changes.

Following the meeting, the FGC Coordinator will type up the family plan, using their words and this will be distributed to all attendees. A copy of the family's plan will be uploaded to the child's LCS/EHM electronic record.

9. Review

All families are offered an FGC Review, where the coordinator and lead professional will attend to check the progress of the Family Plan; this usually takes place about 3 months after first FGC. Prior to the review, the coordinator will contact the lead professional and the family to discuss what has worked well in the plan and what hasn't worked as well.

Following the review, the FGC Coordinator will type up the Review Family Plan and this will be distributed to all attendees. A copy of the review family plan will be uploaded to the child's LCS/EHM electronic record on Livelink.

10. Out of Conference Plans

If the family and their network are unable to come together at a Family Group Conference, the offers of support that have been made by individuals will be drawn together into a Family Plan by the coordinator; this will then be shared with the family and the lead professional.

11. Closure

The involvement of the FGC Service will end after the Review FGC has taken place or if it is agreed that a Review FGC is not necessary.

It is possible to re-refer a family at a later stage if the circumstances change.

It is the responsibility of the lead professional to embed the family's offers of support within the relevant Children's Services plan.

12. Summary of Key Lead Professional Responsibilities within the FGC process

Ensure that the children and the family are given the appropriate information regarding the FGC purpose and process;
Gain consent from those with PR to make the referral to the FGC Service;
Complete an FGC Referral Form;
Be available for a Referral discussion with the allocated FGC Coordinator, as soon as possible after allocation;
Work with the coordinator to produce an FGC Report, which will be shared with the parents/primary carers/those with PR for the child/young person at the initial visit and at the FGC itself;
Be available to attend the FGC meetings;
Present the FGC Report in the Information Sharing Stage and to answer any questions the family may have;
Complete the Social Worker's Evaluation Form;
Monitor the effectiveness of the family's plan by embedding it into the family intervention;
Attend any Review FGCs.