Fulcrum Family Services

A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a decision-making meeting in which the wider family makes plans for children who need support and protection from future harm. It is a voluntary process and families cannot be forced to have an FGC.

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• The process is child-centred with high levels of participation of young people, children, family, friends, and identified professionals in an uniquely tailored strengths based process that is culturally, religiously and needs sensitive

• Families are assisted by an independent coordinator to prepare for the meeting

• They have the chance to get information from the social worker and other professionals about the child’s needs and what will keep them safe

• The whole informal network then meet on their own to make a plan for their child/sen which takes account of any safety concerns explained by the referrer. Any plan created is family led

• The family should be supported to carry out the plan, unless it would place the child at risk of significant harm

 

Local Authorities are required under the Public Law Outline to have considered and offered a FGC (or a similar meeting) in order to increase the number of kinship placements, lower the number of unnecessary adoptions, and lower the number of children being accommodated. 

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FGCs are primarily considered in the following instances:

• To reduce the number of Care Proceedings

• To prevent children and young people from entering care

• To identify potential alternative connected persons as carers

• To support the reunification of children and young people to the care of their parents or a kinship carer

• To support complex Child Protection Plans or care plans

• To manage and reduce risk

• To resolve complex contact issues

• Educational FGCs to resolve situations regarding a child or young person's education

• Tackling issues that require holistic solutions 

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In particular, Fulcrum Family Service's Director has extensive experience in Family Group Conferencing. The Director has held senior management positions in three boroughs in London, as well as in Kent, and substantial experience in convening Family Group Conferences in fourteen Local Authorities over 13 years; spanning the private, voluntary and public sectors. The Director has successfully undertaken the London Coordinators Accreditation Program (LCAP) Training; a course designed to ensure that FGC coordinators understand the Family Group Conferencing model, and adhere to best practice standards. This course has close working links with the Family Rights Group who champion the use of the model and working together with families and children in the UK. The Director was a board member, trainer and mentor within LCAP for five years between 2016-2021.

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During Covid19, the Director has been supporting FGC managers around the country to help get their services up and running with the new remote way of working, on a pro-bono basis. This is Fulcrum Family Services' commitment to keeping families safe and promoting resilience through the empowerment of the FGC process in the face of adversity.

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Fulcrum Family Services believe in offering tailored services that meet the individual needs of clients and service-users. We acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our staff that in turn ensures effective and culturally sensitive practice.

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