Family group conferences – Bernie jackson
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Transcript of Family group conferences – Bernie jackson
180k Children and
Young People
Families & Communities 75K Colleagues
One Vision One Plan One Partnership Five Outcomes
12 Priorities - 3 obsessions
25 Clusters: 3 behaviours
In Leeds…
The Vision in Leeds
•A new social contract between Children’s Services and children and their families
•Recognition of family as the most important but most underused utility of the 21st century
•Engaging with children’s wider families as key decision-makers in planning for the safety, wellbeing and security of care of each child at risk of intrusive state intervention
•Working restoratively with each other and across agencies -high support / high challenge
Where does FGC fit?
• Early intervention
• Child in Need
• Children subject to child protection plans
• PLO
• Proceedings
• Post proceedings
The Myth of Difference
• The Bean Exercise
The Professional System
Structured
Organized
Rules Based
Formal
Rational
The Family System
Dynamic
Loose
Understandings based
Informal
Relational
Two systems have to interact
Nixon & Doolan 2012
Positioning Families to take charge
•Who plays the
home game?
Nixon and Doolan 2012
The Professional
System
Structured
Organized
Rules Based
Formal
Rational
The Family
System
Dynamic
Loose
Understandings based
Informal
Relational
A managed
Interface:
The Family
Group
Conference
Bridging the Professional and Family Systems
Collaborative Agency
And Family Plan
The Coordinator
Messages from Research
• “Family Members know more about their own than any professional can possibly know. They have a unique knowledge and understanding” (1995)
The New Zealand Experience
Who is family?
• Family Members
Maternal
Paternal
• Children
• Non-family Members
• Friends or
Connected People
The Model
ReferralIndependent
Co-ordinator
The FGC1. Information Sharing
2. Private Time
3. Agreeing Plans
Preparation
Monitor Review
Values and Principles
• Builds on family strengths
• Seeks to empower families
• Encourages wide and relevant participation
• Promotes positive partnerships
• Respects a family’s culture
• Solution focused
Common Fears
• Families can’t or won’t make decisions.
• Parents or children will be overwhelmed or blamed.
• Abuse will be minimized;
• Perpetrators will manipulate;
• Children will be damaged by the process;
• Plans will be unrealistic;
• Conferences will provoke later retaliation.
Case Study
• CSWS referred Kim, aged 10 and Jack aged 18 months after they were found home alone.
• Kim - young carer for her mother, Susan, who was diagnosed with Bi Polar disorder and for her brother, Jack.
• Kim poor school attendance - below 50%. Jack’s dad, Dan, worked full time.
Additional concerns included:
• No contact between Kim and her father for two years
• Police involvement re: domestic violence by eldest son living elsewhere
• Jack sustained a burn to his face from an iron during the preparation stage
• Repeated referrals to CSWS about neglect, poor supervision
• CSWS wanting to avoid holding a Child Protection Conference
The question for the Family Group Conference was:What needs to happen for Kim and Jack to be safe, happy and secure within
their family?
• FGC attended by Kim and her advocate, mum, Jack’s dad, two maternal aunts, Jack’s grandmother plus social worker, health visitor, head teacher, learning mentor and Young Carers support worker. Kim’s dad refused to attend or submit anything in writing to the conference despite lengthy discussions.
• The family agreed a lengthy and detailed plan and CSWS agreed there was no need for an ICPC.
Outcome
• A review was held 8 weeks later:• Kim’s school attendance had improved• No progress had been made with contact between Kim and her father• No further referrals had been received by CSWS• The family decided no further reviews were needed
• One year on there had been no further social work involvement and Kim is now having regular contact with her father. 3 years on the case remains closed to the CSWS
Family Plan
Do they work?
• Greater family/community participation;
• Stronger Partnerships;
• Improved school attendance;
• Improved reparation and reduced recidivism;
• Increase in kinship placements;
• Reduction in family violence;
• Reduction in legal conflicts and legal proceedings.
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FGC Outcomes
• LAC numbers reduced and Kinship placements increased
• Family resources mobilized• Strengthened relationships between workers and
families• Re-unification with family increased• Increased involvement of Fathers• Extended family placements tend to be more
stable following an FGC• Increased user participation• Number of children subject to CP plans reduced.
Contact details
Mobile: 07891 274216
Tel: 0113 2774102
Address: FGC South Team
Middleton Skills Centre
110 Middleton Park Avenue, Leeds, LS10 4HY
