Exploring the Best Practice Guidance for Family Group Decision Making
Family Group Decision Making is key component in the Government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Families First Programme, playing an increasingly important role in the transformation of Children’s Social Care.
With the DfE Best Practice Guidance now released, we invite Children’s Social Care service managers, commissioners, and professionals to join our second webinar series exploring Family Group Decision Making and the national guidance. These sessions will share our insights and create space for reflection, dialogue, and peer learning.
We are offering two webinars, led by our Director of Services, Claire Cooper, a systemic practitioner and counsellor with experience of working directly with families and managing services within Children’s Social Care and the charity Sector. Each session can be attended on its own, but together they provide a rounded understanding of the guidance, practice implications, and workforce needs for Family Group Decision Making.
For over 25 years, Daybreak has specialised in delivering Family Group Conferences across the social care sector. Our expertise in Family Group Decision Making focuses on relational, family-led practice that empowers families to create their own solutions.
As Family Group Decision Making becomes a key element of the Government’s vision for children and families’ services, our team has been actively developing ideas on how it can be embedded across the system, along with the factors that influence its effectiveness.
Daybreak has also been a lead practice delivery partner, working with Mutual Ventures and national stakeholders, in developing the DfE Practice Guidance on Family Group Decision Making. If the guidance is not published ahead of the webinars, we will still share insight on its core themes.
To stay updated on future webinars, events and training opportunities supporting the embedding of Family Group Decision Making across Children’s Social Services, subscribe to our mailing lists or follow us on LinkedIn.
Webinar 1: Creating the Conditions for Effective Family Group Decision Making: System and Culture Change in Line with the DfE Best Practice Guidance
Thursday 21st May, 2026 9.30am-11.30am
Are you considering how best to develop or implement Family Group Decision Making within your service? Join our Director of Services for a two‑hour interactive webinar.
In this webinar, we will explore:
Key themes from the DfE Practice Guidance, along with our reflections and insights
Key systems variables that require change to embed a good quality Family Group Decision Making offer to families, e.g. value-led practice protocols
The identified areas of consideration for culture shift towards a Families First culture across the Children’s and Families services landscape
Core messages from the DfE Practice Guidance relating to workforce practice and practitioner skillsets
Best suited for: Commissioners, Children’s Social Care leads, Family First Partnership leads, and FGDM/FGC service managers (though all interested professionals are welcome).
Webinar 2: Strengthening Family Group Decision Making Practice: Systemic Approaches and Tools Aligned with the DfE Guidance and Toolkit
Thursday 16th July 2026, 10am-12noon
Would you like to discuss the relevance of the systemic approach to Family Group Decision Making and the wider Families First culture shift? Are you looking for ways to strengthen inclusive and culturally competent Family Group Decision Making delivery, in line with national guidance? Join our Director of Services for this 2-hour interactive webinar.
In this webinar, we will explore:
How systemic approaches support inclusive Family Group Decision Making practice
The Relevance of the Safe Uncertainty Model (Mason, 1993) to working with families through Family Group Decision Making
How the SOCIAL GRACES model can be applied within Family Group Decision Making to improve Cultural and Inclusive practice skills of the workforce
Practical implications for training, support, and reflective practice
Best suited for: Commissioners, Children’s Social Care leads, Family First Partnership leads, FGDM/FGC service managers, workforce development leads, and Principal Social Workers (though all interested professionals are welcome).