Family Group Conference

A White British family was referred with three children being cared for by their maternal grandmother due to their father’s history of threatening behaviour, domestic violence, and alcohol misuse.  The Father had returned to the home following his release from prison, and there were concerns for the children while he lived there.  Care proceedings were being considered to achieve permanence for the children.

Following the referral, he moved out of the family home.  The children returned to live with their mother, and the maternal grandmother supervised contact with their father.

The FGC meant that the family could identify resources within the wider family network to support the family and for the mother to gradually take over supervision of contact. Maternal grandmother and aunt explored and resolved some of their feelings about the father. The whole family agreed to work together with Children’s Services with a view to the father returning to the family home when the time was right.

After the FGC and the plan had been agreed upon, one of our team who had not been involved met individually with the family members to evaluate their experiences.

They all either agreed or strongly agreed that they had been given sufficient information about the FGC process, had understood what would happen and that it had focussed on important issues.  They also felt that private family time had been helpful and they had been listened to. They were all happy with the outcomes and would recommend the FGC service to other families.

“It was helpful to talk openly as a family and point out strengths and accomplishments.”

Maternal grandmother

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