Family Group Conferencing
What is a Family Group Conference?
A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a meeting with family to talk about your kids’ needs and how to keep them safe. DCP will offer you a chance to have an FGC when they have worries for your kids’ safety and well-being. It is a chance to work together so kids can stay at home.
This meeting is a way of yarning together where big decisions can be made by and with your family. The meeting is culturally safe. You and your family will look at what needs to happen for your kids to be safe.
The Department for Child Protection (DCP) will talk with you to work out what your kids need and we will be there with you.
What does a Family Group Conference look like?
A DCP social worker will contact you to talk with you about taking part in a Family Group Conference. If you choose to go ahead, DCP will send a referral to AFSS. An AFSS Family Group Conference facilitator will then contact you to explain the process, answer your questions, and support you through the next steps. The facilitator works independently from DCP and is there to support you and your family. They will help you by:
- Going through the worries that DCP has, so you understand what the plan needs to be about
- Finding out who you want to have at the meeting. This can include family, services or other people important to you and your family who can help with making the Family Plan.
- Discussing the best ways of getting your kids involved in the meeting
- Meeting with you and the other people who will come to the FGC to make sure they all understand why there is an FGC and what issues need addressing
- Going back to DCP with questions or ideas that need to be checked before they are put in your plan
- Finding out what you need to make sure the meeting is culturally safe for you and your family
We call this part of the process the ‘Preparation Phase’.
What happens on the day of the Family Group Conference?
Sharing the Story
This is the reason for the meeting and where your kids’ needs are talked about. It’s also about hearing how others can help, and answering any questions anyone has.
Yarning Circle
This is where you and your family can talk privately and make choices about what to put in a Family Plan. DCP social workers and other workers are not in the yarning circle. You can ask your AFSS facilitator to stay in the circle to support you and your family, but they can’t make the plans for you.
Moving Forward
This is where you and your family share with DCP the plan you and your family have made for the future. It is also where your Family Plan is signed as an agreement.
Who can be part of my Family Group Conference?
People who can be a part of your Family Group Conference include
- Children and young people
- Parents, caregivers and Elders
- Extended family and community members
- Support workers
- Youth workers
- Counsellors
- Social workers
- Other agency workers who may be able to assist and can join the Sharing the Story stage to provide information. You can also choose to include them in the Yarning Circle while creating your Family Plan.
What can you expect?
- Confidentiality
- Cultural safety
- To be respected
- To talk about your thoughts and hopes
- To be included in planning for your kids
- To make a Family Plan that you and your family own
What happens after my Family Group Conference?
You can start working on the things contained in the Family Plan once it has been agreed by you and DCP. DCP will help monitor the success.
You and your family own and are responsible for your Family Plan. To make sure it is working for everyone and meets the needs of your kids, it can be reviewed after a time which is agreed at your conference. The facilitator will be there again to help with the review meeting. You can reach out to your facilitator or DCP anytime for support if things change and you want to speak to someone.
FAQ's
Things people often ask us about FGC
What makes me eligible for a referral to AFSS FGC program?
The child/ren is Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
The child/ren are not under long term orders (although special permission can be sought from Jodie Halliday)
There is scope for family led decision making
What makes a good referral?
Preferably make a referral very early. In a perfect world, you would be able to refer to FGC at the time of the first, second, third notification. If you can imagine there’s extended family (nanna, poppa, aunties, uncles etc) who are not aware of the problems, it’s very likely that they will lean in, support mum and/or dad, keep eyes on the child/children, and read the riot act. We hope that this will prevent the family ever coming into contact with the CP system again.
We understand that it can be difficult to refer for FGC on an initial notification. We know that you simply don’t have capacity to open cases that are not critical. In cases that haven’t been referred early, we ask that you take a little more time to ensure that you’ve completed your investigation and assessments, and can provide clear direction to the family about where you need them to be. An example of where things can go wrong in this space is a family who had their FGC, and the child was going to be transitioned back into their care. The day after the FGC, the PCA report arrived with a recommendation for long term orders. DCP had to reassess their case direction, and apply for a 12 month order. The child was ultimately reunified, but things were messy, and the family felt that they had been misled.
What is the bottom line?
Before DCP makes a referral, they will check that your family agrees to a bottom line. This is a simple statement about what needs to happen for your child to be safe. It doesn’t tell you exactly how to make it happen—that part is up to your family.
For example, a bottom line might be:
“The child will not be exposed to any form of violence, and will have a caregiver who is not under the influence of meth.”
Your family decides how to meet this bottom line. You might plan ways to manage anger, ask trusted family to help with care, use services in ways that work for you, or organise a family member to step in when needed. The solutions are your family’s – your way.
How do I submit the referral?
Your Manual of Practice provides instructions on referring through C3MS.
Please include any other relevant information such as intervention orders, parenting capacity assessments, etc.
What happens when we receive the referral?
You should receive an email from Kylie within a couple of days of submitting your referral. This is one of those standard emails, so you may well have already included the information it asks for.
Kylie will also send a calendar request for a ‘referral in’ meeting. This should be convened within 7 days from the acceptance of the referral.
Once we receive the referral, we get together as a team, read through the referral, and make a list of any additional questions we’d like to ask and email them to you.
What is a 'referral in' meeting?
Once your family has agreed to the bottom line, DCP will send the referral to us. The first meeting is informal and friendly. You, your family, a support person if you like, the facilitator, the child advocate, and the DCP worker will meet together. We’ll explain the FGC process, answer your questions, and make sure you understand the bottom line clearly.
How do I prepare for an FGC?
Before the FGC, your facilitator will work with your family to decide who you want to include—maybe extended family, Elders, or other trusted people. We will only speak to people you are happy to involve, and we’ll help you start thinking about what you’d like to see in your family plan.
Meanwhile, the child advocate will spend time with your children in a safe, relaxed way. They might yarn, play, or even go for ice cream—whatever helps your children feel comfortable. Your children’s voices are the most important part of the process. Their hopes, ideas, and needs guide the family’s decisions, so they are at the heart of the plan.
What happens on the day of the FGC?
On the day of the FGC, everyone meets at a friendly, culturally safe venue. We’ll make sure there’s a feed for everyone, and DCP will restate the bottom line so it’s clear. The child advocate will then share your children’s voices, often through letters or activities that your children have contributed.
After that, DCP steps out of the room so your family can plan in private. You can have your facilitator, child advocate, or other service providers stay with you if you’d like support. Most of the discussion will feel familiar because of the preparation work—so there are usually no big surprises.
When your plan is ready, DCP returns, and your family presents your plan. Sometimes there may be a little negotiation, and your facilitator and child advocate will support you through this. Once everyone agrees, you sign the plan, and the FGC concludes.
What to remember
FGC is all about listening, respect, and connection. Your children’s voices come first, your family’s knowledge and strengths guide the decisions, and cultural identity and belonging are central. You are supported every step of the way, and your facilitator and child advocate are here to help your family succeed.
Are the facilitators and child advocates Aboriginal?
Our team has both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal facilitators and child advocates. If the family you’re working with have asked for an Aboriginal facilitator or child advocate, please specify this in the referral document. We always try to match families with the best suited people.
Meet
Our Team
Family Group Conferencing is available in Adelaide, Murray Bridge, Gawler, Port Pirie, Kadina, Whyalla & Port Augusta
Call one of our offices below to see if you are eligible for a referral to a Family Group Conference.
Our team of facilitators and child advocates are compassionate, knowledgeable, and committed to providing a culturally safe and supportive space for you and your family.
Salisbury
4 Ann Street
Salisbury SA 5108
(08) 8182 6567
Whyalla
19b Darling Terrace
Whyalla SA 5600
(08) 8644 0116
Family Group Conferencing is available in: Adelaide, Murray Bridge, Gawler, Port Pirie, Kadina, Whyalla & Port Augusta .
Call one of our offices below to see if you are eligible for a referral to a Family Group Conference.
Our team of Facilitators and Child Advocates are compassionate, knowledgeable, and committed to providing a culturally safe and supportive space for you and your family.
Salisbury
4 Ann Street
Salisbury SA 5108
(08) 8182 6567
Whyalla
19B Darling Terrace
Whyalla SA 5600
(08) 8644 0116