Family group conferencing

Domain V · Systemic, relational, group & community · 1989 · New Zealand

What it is

A family group conference (FGC) is not a therapy. It is a family-led decision-making meeting. An independent coordinator prepares and convenes it. The participants are the person at the centre (a child, or an adult in adult and mental-health versions) and their extended family and friendship…

Format

• Format. There is no session count. The format is one main meeting plus preparation and reviews:
• Version followed: the UK model in Family Rights Group (FRG) FGC Quality Standards (Oct 2022), with its three-part meeting and roles as set out in FRG's Family Group Conferences in the Court Arena (2011) and local authority procedures. Added to it: the family-violence protocol in the Burford,…

Who practises it, and how they are trained or regulated

• Training and accreditation. FGC is not a licensed brand, but standards set out who may coordinate:
• FRG (UK): coordinators must be trained in the model and inducted, with supervision, practice consultancy and observed practice. FRG runs an accreditation framework, but its requirements are. [FRG QS std 1.3–1.4]
• Adult standards: at least 10 days' initial training, then shadowing and co-working. [RiP 2026 std 2]

Questions to explore with your client

• What drew you to it, and what are you hoping it will change?
• Is there physical contact? Was it explained beforehand, and do you feel free to say no or stop at any point?
• Is it a group, retreat or community? How do they respond if someone wants to leave or raises a concern?
• Does it use a device, heat, cold, water or a physical procedure? Has a medical professional checked that it is safe for you?
• Who runs it, and what training or registration do they hold?
• What actually happens in a session or meeting, and how often?
• What does it cost, and is there pressure to commit to more?
• How do you feel afterwards, in the hours and days that follow?
• Does it fit with, or clash with, the work we do here?

What practitioners of it watch for

• Rejection given without reasons, which destroys trust.
• Using a family member as interpreter. Weigh the benefits against the risks (BPM).
• Re-traumatising the victim. Stop if the young person is not taking responsibility.
• Referrers or practitioners trying to steer the plan. Clarify roles up front (RiP std 10).
• Your clinical opinion being treated as a bottom line. Be clear that only the referrer sets those.

When to involve someone else

• New or worsening physical symptoms, or advice to stop or change prescribed medication: involve the client's doctor or prescriber.
• Signs of coercion, isolation from family and friends, escalating costs or secrecy: discuss openly and consider safeguarding.
• A crisis or thoughts of suicide: follow your crisis protocol. In the US, call or text 988; in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans on 116 123.

Drawn automatically from the guide's own sections. Stay curious: neither endorse nor dismiss what the client values, and check anything that matters against the full guide and its sources. Not medical advice.