What is a Daybreak family group conference?

A FGC is a family led- decision making meeting .  It sets out to practically address the concerns stated by Children's Services.  A meeting arranged, convened and facilitated by an independent coordinator, where the family take the lead role in planning how to move forward.

In a family group conference it is believed that if the family is provided with high quality information, they are in the best position to make plans for a better future.

During preparation the Daybreak coordinator will discuss with the family who should be invited, and will then meet with everyone to prepare them for the meeting

The role of the referrer and other service providers is to provide information about the current concerns including any safety issues. Also to give information about available resources and any relevant legal issues. It is important to give the family feedback and agree the plan if possible, bearing in mind safety and resources concerns.

The FGC process

The meeting will be arranged in a neutral venue and will be in 3 stages:

• Information sharing
• Private family time - the family are left on their own, to think about the situation, make their decisions and formulate their plan.
• Agreeing the plan

After the meeting the coordinator will write up the family plan and send it out to everyone involved.

A review meeting can be arranged for a few months after the FGC, if there is funding available, to check the plan is working.

The referrer will need to remain for the full meeting but other service providers may leave after Information sharing.

General Points

• A Family Group Conference (FGC) is not a magic wand and a single meeting is not going to change the world
• Be realistic and view the FGC as a problem solving tool
• As with other meetings, plans need to be reviewed and sometimes changed
• FGCs are family led and each is unique. Everyone needs to be as flexible and responsive as possible within their role
  

If you wish to make a referral, complete a referral form and email to headoffice@daybreakfgc.org.uk. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss a referral with a programme manager, contact the Daybreak office.