Family and Community Group Conference Lived Experienced Practice Notes – by Kar Man and Tim Fisher
Welcome to the “Family and Community Group Conference Lived Experienced Practice Notes” blog series, brought to you by Kar Man and Tim. In this series, we will share our insights and experiences from Family and Group Conferencing (FGC).
Kar Man, a parent activist with lived experience of using FGC to plan for her future alongside her community, brings valuable insights as a research assistant and peer researcher at CASCADE, Cardiff University. She actively contributes to an NIHR-funded research project on Family Group Conferencing, working alongside Professor Jonathan Scourfield. Kar Man’s involvement extends beyond research, as she serves as a Lived Experience Advocate in the London Borough of Camden. Her dedication to social change through FGC, Peer Advocacy, and Co-Design models shines through her work.
Tim, a leading expert in facilitation and participatory methods, combines his 18 years of experience as a social worker with his extensive knowledge of empowerment models. As a service manager with LB Camden, Tim has facilitated over 100 FGCs in different communities in Wales and England, making him a seasoned practitioner in the field. His commitment to community inclusion and collaborative approaches is evident through his role as a Co-Investigator on the National Institute for Health Family Group Conference research project.
Through this blog series, we will explore the intricacies of FGC practice, community engagement, and the transformative power of relational activism. Join us on this journey as we look in detail into innovative approaches, share practical insights, and examine the impact of FGCs on social change. Stay tuned for our upcoming posts, where we will delve into various aspects of FGC practice and its profound influence on families and communities.
Empowerment
Family Group Conferencing (FGC) is a strengths-based model that empowers families and recognises their capabilities.
FGMs are based on families’ strengths, focusing on their abilities, resources, and expertise. This approach acknowledges that families are the experts in their own lives and encourages their active involvement in decision-making processes.
Positive Partnerships in FGC
As we have discussed in previous blogs FGC (Family and Group Conference) is quite different from other formal meetings with professionals. The key feature of engagement and participation in FGC is that no one person should dominate the meeting. Instead, it is a collective effort to create a realistic plan for the person in safeguarding or overcoming issues.
Engaging and involving in Family Group Conferencing
Building the idea of the family group as a resourceful resource is a key aspect of FGC coordination. This perspective highlights the strengths and capabilities within the family, empowering them to take an active role in decision-making. The coordinator should establish the family as decision-makers, recognising their expertise in understanding their own needs and aspirations. Additionally, involving the family as decision designers ensures their active participation in designing and shaping the plans that emerge from the FGC.
Private Family Time: The Heart of the FGC Process
In the world of Family Group Conferencing (FGC), one aspect stands out as crucial to the success of the entire process: Private Family Time. This phase serves as the heartbeat of the FGC model, allowing families to freely develop their plans in a format they are most comfortable with.
Group Dynamics in Family Group Conferencing
In Family Group Conferencing (FGC), understanding and managing group dynamics is essential to ensure a fair and inclusive decision-making process. By encouraging group thinking and avoiding “group think,” where individuals conform to others’ views without expressing their own, the FGC can benefit from a diverse range of perspectives and ideas.
Family Group Conference Facilitation
Facilitating a Family Group Conference (FGC) requires certain qualities and actions from the coordinator to ensure a successful and productive meeting.
Firstly, the FGC coordinator needs to carry some of the risk involved in the process. This means taking on the responsibility of coordinating and guiding the conference, understanding that outcomes are not guaranteed.
Culture and Ethnicity in Family Group Conferencing
One of the significant strengths of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) as a model is its recognition and adaptation to family culture, encompassing both small and big “C” culture.
One of the unique features of FGC is its flexibility in that the person or family have the autonomy to decide where to have the conference that makes them feel comfortable and the choice of food.