Family group conferencing

Domain XV · Nature, philosophy, social & rites of passage · 1989 · New Zealand

What it is

Family group conferencing is a legislated decision-making meeting, not a psychotherapy. In New Zealand it brings together the child or young person (tamaiti or rangatahi), parents, guardians or caregivers, whānau or wider family, other key people and, where there is alleged offending, the victim;…

Format

• This is a statutory process with phases set by legislation and policy, not a course of therapy sessions. The sources give no number of therapy sessions; statutory convening timeframes exist (s 249) and are set by the Act and court directions. Below, each conference phase is paired with the…
• Phase 2: Convening and preparation. The coordinator consults whānau (face to face where possible) about time, place, attendees, roles, purpose, the summary of facts and the need to speak to the youth advocate if facts are disputed; consults every affected victim face to face, explaining that…

Who practises it, and how they are trained or regulated

• The psychotherapist's place: the conference is convened and run by a statutory youth justice coordinator (New Zealand) or an independent FGC coordinator (UK). The therapist's work is around it: assessing readiness and safety, preparing and accompanying a client who is a victim, a young person who caused harm, or a family member, trauma-informed support before and after, coordination with the coordinator, and working…

Evidence status, as the guide reports it

• Core idea of how change happens, as the sources frame it: the family network, given full information and private time, makes a better and more owned plan than professionals alone; the young person faces the people harmed and takes responsibility; the plan addresses both the harm ("putting things…

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?
• Does it involve any substance, plant preparation, remedy or supplement? Has your doctor or prescriber been told, especially about any medication you take?
• Is it a group, retreat or community? How do they respond if someone wants to leave or raises a concern?
• 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

• pressure from a service to fill both roles. Working: roles are separated and documented.
• a client with no one to be with afterwards. Working: the client can describe the plan without notes.
• threats to a victim; new offending; self-harm. Working: risk is managed without unnecessary loss of the relationship.
• dissociation, panic, anger; a client surprised by a denial. Working: the client knows what will be said and has a plan for hearing it.
• later regret; pressure from relatives or professionals. Working: the client is at peace with the decision or knows they can revisit it.

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.