Community Development

A Selection of Materials for Professionals Working With Children

Family group conferences: a selection of materials for professionals working with children
Updated July 2009

This list shows a selection of books and other materials on family group conferences held by the
NSPCC Library and Information Service " "NSPCC Library").

Provision of services

• Using Family Group Conferences for children who are, or may become, subject to court proceedings: A guide for Courts, Lawyers, CAFCASS officers and Child Care Practitioners
  Family Rights Group in consultation with the Family Group Conference Network, Sept 2007
  The purpose of the document is to provide information and guidance to all those involved in court cases so that the FGC’s are used as effectively as possible for vulnerable children, particularly those who are on the brink of the care system.
  
  
• Family conferences bid for mainstream.
  Carson, Gordon
  Children Now 6 October 2004: 8
  Discusses moves by Children 1st to set up a unit promoting the use of family group conferences as a means of keeping children out of public care.
  
  
• Family group decision making and permanency planning.
  Horwitz, Mark
  Protecting Children 18 (1&2), 2003: 93-95
  Discusses the Kinship Connections Project in Massachusetts, which provided family group decision-making services as a permanency planning process for children in state care. Staff at the Lutheran Community Services of New England worked with the Massachusetts Department of Social Services to identify children in care for whom kinship permanency resources might be known. Reports on the findings of an evaluation of project outcomes.
  
  
• Family group conferences: family-led decision making.
  Tapsfield, Robert
  Childright 195, 2003: 16-17.
  The Chief Executive of the Family Rights Group explores the development and operation of family group conferences. Includes sections on the worldwide and UK origins of family group conferences, how they work, key research findings, family group conferences in care proceedings and children's views of the process.
  
  
• Family group conferencing in Sweden.
  Nyberg, Eva
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 119-120.
  Discusses the development of family group conferencing in Sweden in the 1990s, the findings from an inquiry sent to municipalities to summarise the results of the first local and national projects, the projects which expanded target groups to include clients such as drug addicts, and the documentation of family group conferencing project evaluations in Sweden.
  
  
• Better practice, better quality: the role of the black voluntary sector in child protection.
  Dutt, Ratna, and Joseph, Pat
  London: Race Equality Unit, 2000
  ISBN: 1873912900
  A pack divided into 5 sets of practice notes: 1: The child protection process 2: Family group conferences 3: Interagency working 4: The impact of the child protection process on black families 5: The role of the black voluntary sector in child protection.
  
  
• Family group conferencing: new directions in community-centred child and family practice.
  Burford, Gale and Hudson, Joe (eds)
  New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 2000
  ISBN: 0202361225
  Collection of work looking at family group conferencing practice in New Zealand, the United States of America, Australia, the UK, and Sweden. Aims to "...examine approaches that entail a shift in assumptions about the way child welfare services are planned and delivered - away from models that emphasize pathology, and toward those seeking an ecological understanding of the families and social networks involved."

Social work practice

• Family group conferences
  Author...... Marsh, Peter
  Year........ 2009
  Mat. type... Articles
  Calls for the extended family to be more involved in making child welfare decisions. Looks at the use of Family Group Conferences, family-led decision-making meetings in which professionals provide information to the family members to help them make a plan that is focused on the child. Considers the law and policy; research; involving the family; child protection, crime and education; plans; and, cost effectiveness.
  Journal..... Highlight Issue 248
  Dated May 2009 Page ref.... pp [1-4]
  
  
• Using family group conferencing to achieve permanency for youth
  Author...... Merkel-Holguin, Lisa
  Tinworth, Kathleen
  Horner, Anita
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Articles
  Considers the use of family group conferencing as a way of achieving permanency for children in foster care. It looks at what it means to be an adolescent in foster care, what permanency means and what the barriers to achieving permanency are. It goes on to consider the role of family group conferencing in achieving permanency and suggests that it can provide positive outcomes for children in care.
  Journal..... Protecting Children
  Volume 22 Issue 1
  Page ref.... pp 38-49
  
  
• Family group decision making and disproportionality in foster care: a case study
  Author...... Crampton, David
  Jackson, Wendy Lewis
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Articles
  Describes the use of family group decision making in placement decisions to reduce the disproportionate amount of black children in foster care and keep them within their extended family. It concludes that children who have been through this decision making process were less likely to have contact with social services and moved less between temporary homes.
  Journal..... Child Welfare
  Volume 86 Issue 3
  Dated May/June 2007
  Page ref.... pp 51-69
  
  
• Toward a community-based approach to racial disproportionality
  Author...... Roberts, Dorothy
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Articles
  Explores a community-based approach to child welfare theory, policy and practice, and its relationship to the racial imbalance in the child protection system in the US. It looks at research on how living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood creates health and behaviour problems for children and some of the initiatives that deal with this. The community impact of racial disproportionality is considered along with the contribution of family group decision making to community based approaches.
  Journal..... Protecting Children
  Volume 22 Issue 1
  Page ref.... pp 4-9
  
  
• Family Group Conferences: Where Next? Policies and Practices for the Future
  Ashley C and Nixon P Nov 2007
  London: Family Rights Group
  ISBN: 1871515459
  A series of essays from policy, research and practice perspectives, aimed at providing practitioners, managers and policy makers with ideas on how best to deliver and develop family group conferences.
  
  
• Safeguarding children: challenges to the effective operation of core groups.
  Harlow, Elizabeth and Shardlow, Steven M.
  Child and Family Social Work 11(1), February 2006: 65-72
  This article evaluates interagency work within child protection and specifically case conferences. It also considers the retention of social workers and the potential contribution of Children's Trusts.
  
  
• NYAS update.
  Roberts, Kevin
  Representing Children 18(1), 2005: 7-10
  Outlines some of the initial findings from the NYAS children and young people advocacy pilot scheme, carried out in partnership with Bournemouth Social Services Directorate and Poole Children and Families Unit, which explored the most effective use of advocacy in child protection conferences.
  
  
• Mainstream or margin? The current use of family group conferences in child welfare practice in the UK.
  Brown, Louise
  Child and Family Social Work 8(4), 2003: 331-340.
  Examines the extent to which family group conferences have developed and become enmeshed into social work practice since their introduction into the UK by the Family Rights Group a decade ago. Presents the findings of two surveys undertaken in 1999 and 2001 which reveal the areas of practice within which family group conferences are being used, the size and capacity of projects, and why some councils are hesitant to adopt the model.
  
  
• Restorative justice: a model for social work practice with families.
  Van Wormer, Katherine
  Families in Society 84(3), 2003: 441-448.
  Argues that restorative initiatives such as victim-offender mediation and family group conferencing have special relevance for family practice, are effective in meeting participants' needs and are consistent with social work values.
  
  
• Taking care of the children: a video about family group conferences. A training video.
  White, John (dir) and Surgenor, Gael (prod)
  Family Rights Group
  London: Mental Health Media, 2001
  Training video (~30mins) aimed at staff who need to know about family group conferences. Shows two fictional family group conferences interspersed with comments from family members, co-ordinators and social workers.
  
  
• Mediation in context.
  Liebmann, Marian (ed)
  London: Jessica Kingsley, 2000
  ISBN: 1853026182
  Reflects the range of contexts in which mediation is used to resolve conflicts, includes chapters on: the history of mediation in the UK; family mediation; conflict resolution and peer mediation in schools; community mediation in an urban setting; rural mediation services; victim-offender mediation; family group conferencing; employment dispute resolution; workplace mediation; medical mediation; multicultural elder mediation; and, mediation in situations of large-scale violence. Includes details of national mediation organisations in the UK.
  
  
• Educating family group conference coordinators: a 'family of origin' perspective.
  Clare, Michael
  Children Australia 25(2), 2000: 21-27.
  Looks at social work education and supervision in respect to family-based practice, with particular reference to family group conferencing.
  
  
• Extending honor and respect to our young people: family group conferencing for youth justice.
  Nash, Jessalyn
  Protecting Children 16(3), 2000: 44-51.
  Discusses the youth justice process in New Zealand and the use of family group conferences.
  
  
• Family group decision making: protecting children and women.
  Pennell, Joan, and Burford, Gale
  Child Welfare 79(2), 2000: 131-158.
  Looks at the use of family group conferencing and the implementation of family group decision making as a means of integrating child welfare and adult safety, and strengthening family unity in cases of family violence.
  
  
• Putting the family in the driving seat: aspects of the development of family group conferences in England and Wales.
  Thomas, Nigel
  Social Work and Social Sciences Review 8(2), 2000: 101-115.
  Concludes by examining some of the difficult issues raised by the family group conference model for social work practice.

Research and evaluation

• Family group conferencing in Australia 15 years on
  Author...... Harris, Nathan
  Year........ 2008
  Mat. type... Articles
  Examines to what extent family group conferencing has become part of child protection practice in Australia since it was introduced in 1992. Argues that family group conferences have resulted in significant innovation in child protection practice, and have been successful in engaging families and communities in problem-solving. Looks at how to measure the adoption of family group conferencing in Australia, and the strengths and innovations of the programmes. Considers implications for the future of conferencing in Australia.
  Journal..... Child Abuse Prevention Issues Issue 27
  Page ref.... pp 1-19
  available online at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/issues/issues27/issues27.html
  
  
• Does family group decision making affect child welfare outcomes? Findings from a randomized control study
  Author...... Berzin, Stephanie Cosner
  Cohen, Ed
  Thomas, Karen
  Dawson, Willam C.
  Year........ 2008
  Mat. type... Articles
  Describes the evaluation of two family group decision-making programmes administered under the California Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Project. Overall, results did not indicate more positive outcomes for children receiving intervention, but did indicate that children were not worse off than those receiving traditional services. Outcomes examined were related to child safety, placement stability, and permanence.
  Journal..... Child Welfare
  Volume 87 Issue 4
  Page ref.... pp 35-54
  
  
• Duty calls: the response of law, policy and practice to participation rights in child welfare systems
  Author...... Doolan, Mike
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Articles
  Considers family group conferencing and participation in child protection procedures. It looks at the mistakes made in the past, such as forced removal of children from Aboriginal communities, and then looks at the current systems in western English speaking countries. It goes on to highlight some of the changes that could be made on national and agency levels and possible changes to the rhetoric used when talking about family group conferencing.
  Journal..... Protecting Children
  Volume 22 Issue 1
  Page ref.... pp 10-18
  
  
• Research review: family group decision-making: a promising practice in need of more programme theory and research
  Author...... Crampton, David
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Articles
  This article reviews the literature on family group conferencing. It looks at the child welfare outcomes of family group conferencing, and which families are offered family group conferencing. It proposes future directions for practice and research and hopes to move the discussion of family group conferencing from a promising practice to an evidence based practice.
  Journal..... Child and Family Social Work
  Volume 12 Issue 2
  Dated May 2007
  Page ref.... pp 202-209
  
  
• Examining the Use and Impact of Family Group Conferencing
  Barnsdale, Lee and Walker, Moira
  Social Work Research Centre, March 2007
  Scotland: University of Stirling ISBN
  ISBN: 978 0 7559 6540 3 (Web only publication)
  ISSN: 0950 2254
  The aims of the research were to review evidence of the effectiveness of FGC for children with different needs and to gather views about the use and experience of FGC in children's services in the UK.
  
  
• Family group conferences: where next? Policies and practices for the future
  Author.....Ashley, Cathy
  Nixon, Paul
  Place & pub. London: Family Rights Group
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Books
  ISBN........ 1871515459
  A series of essays from policy, research and practice perspectives, aimed at providing practitioners, managers and policy makers with ideas on how best to deliver and develop family group conference practices. Chapters cover family decision making in a changing context; working towards an effective agency mandate for family group conferences; the provision of family group conferences for ethnic minority groups; families experiences; children and young people's participation; implementation, research and practice; practice developments; education and youth justice family group conferences; family decision making to plan for safety in domestic violence; and taking family group conferences forward at a local level.
  
  
• 'Lifeworld', 'system' and family group conference: Habermas's contribution to discourse in child protection
  Author...... Hayes, David
  Houston, Stan
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Articles
  Habermas's critical social theory has been challenged on a range of fronts. However, the authors see merit in his mediation thesis as set out in the seminal text, 'Between Facts and Norms' (1996). Adopting a pragmatist defence of the thesis, they review and demonstrate the effectiveness of what they believe is a coincidental expression of some of its main tenets - the family group conference in child protection. They proceed to re-work aspects of the conference's core processes, thereby accentuating the possibility of empowering dialogue
  between its key participants: the families (who embody the 'lifeworld') and the social work professionals (who represent the 'system'). They argue that moral practice in child protection must be safeguarded by communicational procedures that explicitly address issues relating to the use of power and the need for 'recognition' between subjects.
  Journal..... British Journal of Social Work
  Volume 37 Issue 6
  Dated September 2007
  Page ref.... pp 987-1006
  Camden Family Group Conference Service: An Evaluation of Service Use and Outcomes
  Kate Morris, University of Birmingham, Sept 2007
  This evaluation explores the effect of the service on families and professionals, including the outcomes for children and also sought to arrive at useful messages for service development.
  
  
• A step in the right direction: an evaluation of the ‘strengthening families’ framework within child protection
  Griffiths, Damian and Roe, Alison
  West Berkshire Council, 2006
  Presents findings from an evaluation of the strengthening Families Framework; a model for child protection conferences developed by west Berkshire Council Children’s Services and Olmsted County Child and Family Services which is based on the Minnesota Family Case Planning Conference.
  
  
• The child protection conference: a study of process and an evaluation of the potential for on-line group support
  Prince, Jane, Gear, Anthony, Jones, Cath and Read, Martin
  Child Abuse Review 14(2), March 2005: 113-131
  Reports the findings of three investigations into the dynamics and processes involved in reaching decisions about the registration of children as at risk. Study One reports the findings of a linguistic and discursive analysis of transcripts of child protection conferences which provides a framework for the second and third studies. Study Two reports on the views of child protection chairpersons about the level of satisfaction felt with process and outcomes of child protection conferences. Study Three describes the outcomes of a trial to support the conference process through an online group support system.
  
  
• Familias primero: family group decision making in El Paso County, Texas`
  Sandau-Beckler, Pat and Reza, Susana
  Protecting Children 19(4), 2005: 54-62
  This article reports on a research project undertaken in El Paso which blended the family group conferencing approach with Oregon's Family Unity Model. This research looked at the strengths and challenges of applying this hybrid model to a community where Mexican-American families make up the majority. 53 conferences were included in this research. Methods used included: participant surveys from families and other family group conferencing participants; focus group interviews and recorded evaluations; and worker reviews of closed cases for outcomes. This evaluation showed that family conferencing results in improved family communication, risk taking, comprehensive information sharing, improved family support and reduced family conflict.
  
  
• Private family time: the heart of family group conferencing
  Walton, Elaine, McKenzie, Margaret and Connolly, Marie
  Protecting Children 19(4), 2005: 17-24
  This article evaluates the New Zealand family group conference (FGC) model. This brings together the extended family to participate in developing a plan for addressing issues of child abuse and neglect and actualizes the leadership and responsibility of the family through the provision of private family time. Interviews, focus groups and questionnaires were used to evaluate this model over a six month period. Findings reflected an inconsistency in the provision of family private time and suggest that coordinators may be making subjective decisions about its inclusion. Argues that, as FGC is a family driven approach, protecting private family time is a vital professional responsibility.
  
  
• Fidelity of family group decision making: a content analysis of family conference and case plans in a randomized treatment study
  Thomas, Karen L., Berzin, Stephanie C. and Cohen, Edward
  Protecting Children 19(4), 2005: 4-15
  This article looks at family group decision making (FGDM) through a comparison of case and conference summary plans for children who had been randomly assigned to participate in FGMD as part of California's Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver Demonstration project. This project enabled a comparative study of FGDM in the two counties of Fresno and Riverside. In Fresno case plans were written solely by the social worker whilst conference summary plans were led by the family. In Riverside case plans were created by the social worker and enforced by the court and conference summary plans were then created by the social worker and conference participants to supplement case plans. This research aimed to find out if the conference summary plans in the two counties reflected FGDM programme goals; if there were any differences in conference summary plans; and how the main characteristics of the two types of plans compared.
  
  
• Outcomes of Arizona's family group decision making program
  Titcomb, Allison and LeCroy, Craig
  Protecting Children 19(4), 2005: 47-53
  This article reports on a three year evaluation project of Arizona's Family Group Decision Making Program. This programme prepares and encourages families to work in partnership with formal systems to create and follow through on child safety and permanency plans. The evaluation addressed legislated reporting requirements programme improvement and outcome questions and the research methodology included field observations and interviews with FGDM facilitators, case studies of families and comparative studies. Some of the key findings included: high initial rates of relative placement, high levels of satisfaction with the FGDM programme and high levels of both successful completion of meeting and plans. Includes conclusions and recommendations to promote future programme improvement.
  
  
• A cohort study of Ohana conferencing in child abuse and neglect cases
  Walker, Lorenn
  Protecting Children 19(4), 2005: 36-46
  This article looks at Ohana Conferencing: Hawaii's application of family group conferencing for select child protective services (CPS) cases. This relies upon the participation of the family in 'private family time' to develop an initial plan to deal with the report of child abuse and neglect. Includes the results from a comparative study which looked at different outcomes in 60 CPS cases: 33 of which used Ohana Conferencing and 27 of which did not. Outcomes reviewed included length of time the case was open in the CPS system; number of times the case went to court; number of times children were placed in either foster care or emergency shelter care; number of foster placements with relatives; number of permanent custody orders and participant satisfaction with the CPS system. The results showed statistically significant differences in a number of important CPS outcomes between the two groups.
  
  
• Learning with families: a synopsis of FGDM research and evaluation in family welfare
  Merkel-Holguin, Lisa, Nixon, Paul, and Burford, Gale
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 2-11.
  Describes the family group decision making (FGDM) research and evaluations presented in this special issue, identifying emerging themes and patterns.
  
  
• Transforming relationships in practice and research: what is the Stanislaus model?
  Garcia, John A., Sivak, Paul, and Tibrewal, Shradha
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 22-29.
  Discusses the evaluation of family group decision making (FGDM), focusing on the development of the Stanislaus County, California FGDM evaluation plan.
  
  
• Reconstruction works? Constructing family perspectives of the outcomes of family group conferences
  Stevens, Martin
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 30-41.
  Describes a study of family members' constructions of the outcomes of family group conferencing.
  
  
• Family group conferences and child protection in a multicultural community - 1998
  Marsh, Peter, and Crow, Gill
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 131-132.
  Describes the aims, methods and findings of a large-scale empirical research study based in a multicultural London community, conducted to examine the use of set referral criteria for family group conferences (FGC) and staff response, the use of FGC after an initial child protection conference, the applicability of the process and outcomes in a multicultural and multi-language population, and the resources demanded from social services departments.
  
  
• Family group conferencing: a national process and outcome study in England and Wales - 1997
  Marsh, Peter, and Crow, Gill
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 129-130.
  Outlines the aims, methods and findings of a large-scale study funded by the Nuffield Foundation and undertaken at the University of Sheffield, examining 80 family group conferencing (FGC) meetings in England and Wales. The study was designed to examine whether extended family could be involved successfully in FGC in high-risk cases and to determine outcomes as judged by professionals and family members as compared with other approaches.
  
  
• Using family group conferencing to protect children in Finland
  Heino, Tarja
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 121-123.
  A researcher at the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, Finland (STAKES) describes the key aims and findings of a project exploring family group conferencing, concentrating on the following issues: the position of the child in the process; listening and being open; empowerment of children and families; participation; implementation, organisation and legislation.
  
  
• Vulnerability and energy: the study of the Danish experiment with family group conferencing
  Rasmussen, Bo Morthorst
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 124-126
  Summarises the methodology and findings of the Danish Ministry of Social Affairs' nationwide trial on family group conferencing undertaken in 1999 to test, develop and adjust family group conferencing to Danish standards. An evaluation of the trial was also funded.
  
  
• A family group conference pilot project: evaluation and discussion
  Pugh, Richard
  Practice 14(2), 2002: 45-58.
  Reports on an independent evaluation of a family group conferencing pilot project, financed by the Welsh Looked After Children Development Fund. Activities and outcomes of the project are summarised and key questions are raised about the use of group conferences.
  
  
• Social workers' attitudes towards family group conferences in Sweden and the UK
  Sundell, Knut, Vinnerljung, Bo, and Ryburn, Murray
  Child and Family Social Work 6(4), 2001: 327-336.
  Findings of a study which looked at attitudes towards and actual referrals to family group conferences amongst 219 social workers from 18 local authorities in Sweden & the UK. Results reveal an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards family group conferences in both countries.
  
  
• Advancing innovations: family group decision making as community-centred child and family work
  Burford, Gale
  Protecting Children 16(3), 2000: 4-20.
  Includes a summary of the research findings on the use of family group conferencing as community-centred child and family practice.
  
  
• It's not too late: the use of FGDM processes to achieve family reunification.
  Wilmot, Leslie E.
  Protecting Children 16(3), 2000: 34-38.
  Looks at some of the research surrounding the use of family group conferences and other family decision making models in family reunification.

Child and family participation

• Family group conferencing and child protection mediation: essential tools for prioritizing family engagement in child welfare cases
  Author...... Olson, Kelly Browne
  Year........ 2009
  Mat. type... Articles
  Examines how FGC helps professionals to focus on family and community strengths, encourages family engagement, and provides targeted case plans for families and timely,
  permanent placements for children. It explores how courts and agencies use these interventions to empower families to contribute to resolutions in ways that are not possible in
  traditional litigation processes. Discusses how these processes help children and families by providing forums where families are allowed to make informed choices and take an active role in creating plans for their future.
  Journal..... Family Court Review Volume 47 Issue 1
  Page ref.... pp 53-68
  
  
• 'Everyone started shouting': making connections between the process of family group conferences and family therapy practice
  Author...... Holland, Sally
  Rivett, Mark
  Year........ 2008
  Mat. type... Articles
  This article evaluates the process of family group conferences focusing on communications between family members during the meetings. The results of this qualitative study are discussed in relation to similarities and differences between family group conferences and family therapy sessions. It suggests that family group conference coordinators could look at how to manage and prepare family members for the potential expressions of emotions and disclosures that might arise, something which successfully works in family therapy.
  Journal..... British Journal of Social Work Volume 38 Issue 1
  Dated January 2008
  Page ref.... pp 21-38
  
  
• Seen but not heard? Children and young people's participation in family group decision making: concepts and practice issues
  Author...... Nixon, Paul
  Year........ 2007
  Mat. type... Articles
  Explores the rationale behind involving children in family group decision making. It considers children's rights, levels and types of participation, barriers to participation and whether family group conferences improve children's participation. It goes on to look at current practice and provides practical ways in which to better facilitate children's involvement in family group conferencing.
  Journal..... Protecting Children
  Volume 22 Issue 1
  Page ref.... pp 20-36
  
  
• Agency policy and the participation of children and young people in the child protection process.
  Sanders, Robert and Mace, Sam
  Child Abuse Review 15(2), March/Apr 2006: 89-109
  This article looks at how agencies approach the participation of children in child protection through an analysis of policy documents and conference minutes and by interviews with social workers and conference chairs working in child protection in Wales. It examines relevant issues and dilemmas surrounding their participation and looks at how the child-unfriendly nature of the child protection process is a major barrier to promoting children's voices. The results found a divergence between what agencies claimed in their policy documents and the level of participation actually found with respondents pointing out the difficulties of fitting a child into a system that is fundamentally adult-orientated. Highlights the significance of the lack of children's input into service planning for child protection.
  
  
• Outcomes in family group conferences for children on the brink of care: a study of child and family
  Holland, Sally, O'Neill, Sean, Scourfield, Jonathan, and Pithouse, Andrew
  Cardiff: Cardiff University School of Social Sciences, 2003
  A qualitative study of family group conferences, focusing on the role the child in the meetings and the general process involved. Identifies a generally positive response to the conferences among the children interviewed, with reports of improved family relationships and relationships with school, and little social work intervention.
  
  
• Outcomes in family group conferences for children on the brink of care: a study of child and family participation. Summary.
  Holland, Sally, O'Neill, Sean, Scourfield, Jonathan, and Pithouse, Andrew
  Cardiff: NCH, 2003
  A summary of the findings of 'Outcomes in family group conferences for children on the brink of care: a study of child and family participation', written in English and in Welsh.
  
  
• Ask the family.
  Wilson, Kate, and Bell, Margaret
  Community Care 1461, 2003: 38-39
  Looks at research into how children and young people with behaviour problems relate to family group conferences.
  
  
• Family group conferences in permanency planning.
  Gill, Helen, Higginson, Lorna, and Napier, Helen
  Adoption and Fostering 27(2), 2003: 53-63.
  Discusses the family group conferences model, which offers a way of planning which ensures that children, along with parents and families, have their views listened to and are involved in decisions directly affecting their lives, and its role in permanency planning.
  
  
• Family group decision making: a process reflecting partnership-based practice.
  Lohrbach, Suzanne
  Protecting Children 18(1&2), 2003: 12-15.
  Considers partnership and participatory practice in family group decision making.
  
  
• Promoting the participation rights of children and young people in family group conferences.
  Horan, Hilary, and Dalrymple, Jane
  Practice 15(2), 2003: 5-14.
  Describes the experiences of a Barnardo's Family Group Conference Project in Wiltshire, in order to identify the benefits of advocacy support. Argues that all children and young people involved in conferences should have the right of access to an independent advocate to empower them and allow them to participate.
  
  
• Family group conferences and youth advocacy: the participation of children and young people in family decision making.
  Dalrymple, Jane
  European Journal of Social Work 5(3), 2002: 287-299.
  Focuses on the work of a family group conferencing project in Wiltshire, which used a small grant to provide independent advocacy for children and young people involved in conferences. Draws on an evaluation of the project, arguing that distinguishing children and young people's power from parental and professional power permits their empowerment through the use of advocacy.
  
  
• Keeping it in the family.
  Winchester, Ruth
  Community Care 1362, 2001: 18-19.
  Looks at professional opinions regarding a Maori method of family support which is being adopted world wide. The method involves the participation of the child's extended family in a one-off meeting to come up with their own child welfare plan, and has been well received by participants.
  
  
• Taking care of the children: a video about family group conferences.
  White, John (dir) and Surgenor, Gael (prod)
  Family Rights Group
  London: Mental Health Media, 2001
  Video (30mins) aimed at family members and young people who may be attending a family group conference. Shows two fictional family group conferences interspersed with comments from family members, co-ordinators and social workers.

Useful websites These are a selection of websites that offer help and advice on family group conferencing. Although the sites listed here are checked regularly, the constantly changing nature of the internet means that some sites may alter after we have viewed them. The NSPCC is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, the content of these external websites.

British Association for Adoption and Fostering
www.baaf.org.uk (new window)
Works for children separated from their birth families.

Family Rights Group
(www.frg.org.uk (new window)
Provides advice and support for families whose children are involved with social services.

Mediation UK
(www.mediationuk.org.uk (new window)
Works to develop constructive means of resolving conflicts in communities.

Restorative Justice Consortium
www.restorativejustice.org.uk (new window)
Represents victims, offenders, young people and mediators, and those with a professional interest in restorative justice.
Youth Justice Board

www.youth-justice-board.gov.uk (new window) Provides guidance and information for those working within the youth justice system.

Items included do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSPCC. Anyone wishing to obtain any of the items on the list should contact their own public or academic library or bookshop. For information about publications produced by the NSPCC, please contact NSPCC Publications .

Milton Keynes Family Group Conference Service Home Page