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Family Group Conferencing

Supporting families to find a better solution

Information about Family Group Conferences

What is a Family Group Conference?
Family, other relatives and friends meet together so they can all talk & focus on the future. The discussions regarding how they can help and support will then be put in a plan.
What do we mean by a ‘family’?
‘Family’ are people who play an important role in the life of the children and young people. Anyone who cares about the child could be invited, this would include close family, relatives and people you are not related to such as friends, neighbours or other members of your community.
What happens at the Family Group Conference?
Each Family Group Conference has an ‘independent co-ordinator who will help you to organise the meeting for you and your ’family’ to come together. The meeting will take place at a time and venue to suit the people who want to attend. Your family will be able to take responsibility for making a plan of action that will help build a more positive future.
What if I really don’t want to be there?
No one can force you to be at the meeting, but it is really important to have your voice heard. Talk to your co-ordinator about how you can do this.

There are three parts to the meeting:
Information sharing
The co-ordinator will welcome and introduce everyone and explain what will happen next. The referrer will talk about the issues the child or family are having as well as relevant information about the sort of help they can offer and the decisions that need to be made. The family can ask questions.
Private Family Time
Then you and your ‘family’ will be left alone to come up with a plan for the future.
Agreeing the Plan
When the family has agreed on a plan the co-ordinator and the referrer return to the meeting and the plan is discussed so that everybody knows what they are going to do. All parties must agree the plan is safe before it can be implemented. The
co-ordinator will make sure everyone involved has a copy of the plan as soon as possible.
A review meeting is offered to see how things are going.

Need more information?

If you have any more questions, you can contact your co-ordinator :
Name: ………………………………………………….
Telephone: ……………………………………………
Family Group Conferencing
Mount Mckinley
Shrewsbury Business Park
Anchorage Avenue
Shrewsbury
SY2 6FG
Email:familygroupconference@Shropshire.gov.uk
If you have any queries or wish to make a complaint about the service you have received during the Family Group Conferencing Process, Please call Clare Jervis on 01743 250400 or contact the Email above.