Family Group Conference
Notifications OFF
Hello,
Has anyone else had a family group conference please?
We asked for one months ago, mainly when I wasn't approved as a supervisor, and as I am now effectively having to parent my baby girl on my own. My partner still isn't allowed home although we do see him everyday and I am now supervising.
We've heard from the people who run the family group conferences and the woman I spoke to was lovely. She praised all the work my partner and I have done and even said she doesn't understand why he isn't home yet! She also advised me on what grounds to put a complaint in for SS as she was so shocked at some of what the duty team did and have said...
can anyone tell me if they had a family group conference and what was the outcome? Equally, does it have any effect on SS?
Has anyone else had a family group conference please?
We asked for one months ago, mainly when I wasn't approved as a supervisor, and as I am now effectively having to parent my baby girl on my own. My partner still isn't allowed home although we do see him everyday and I am now supervising.
We've heard from the people who run the family group conferences and the woman I spoke to was lovely. She praised all the work my partner and I have done and even said she doesn't understand why he isn't home yet! She also advised me on what grounds to put a complaint in for SS as she was so shocked at some of what the duty team did and have said...
can anyone tell me if they had a family group conference and what was the outcome? Equally, does it have any effect on SS?
Hello,
I used to run FGCs quite a few years ago. It should have an impact on social care IF a plan/next steps are achieved within the meeting. You, as a group, will be left alone by workers during the meeting and have to discuss a question which the coordinator has devised. They are looking for a support network, how this will be maintained and who is involved in this. A good coordinator will visit each group member separately before to discuss the process and what they can offer - may be virtual now.
I am assuming your social worker has put the fgc as apart of whatever plan you are on? It's a positive step as with a robust plan and sticking to it can support their decision to close eventually.
Let me know if you have any specific fgc questions I'll try to help.
X
I used to run FGCs quite a few years ago. It should have an impact on social care IF a plan/next steps are achieved within the meeting. You, as a group, will be left alone by workers during the meeting and have to discuss a question which the coordinator has devised. They are looking for a support network, how this will be maintained and who is involved in this. A good coordinator will visit each group member separately before to discuss the process and what they can offer - may be virtual now.
I am assuming your social worker has put the fgc as apart of whatever plan you are on? It's a positive step as with a robust plan and sticking to it can support their decision to close eventually.
Let me know if you have any specific fgc questions I'll try to help.
X
Thanks for the replies.
Lee - we are actually a step behind, we were told by previous officer that it was with CPS but then we were moved to another officer (which was welcomed as the previous one was appalling) and she clarified that my partners phone hasn't been cleared yet. Nothing found but just needs a manual analyst in order to clear it, and it's waiting for that to happen.
Sarah - in terms of the FGC, I actually requested it months back as we felt that SS weren't hearing us and nothing was moving. I've since been approved to supervise on short periods of time, and this happens everyday. They won't go past 5.5hrs but I'm pushing to see what else can happen.
I spoke to the coordinator today and she said that she didn't see what value a conference could add. Mainly as I have a full seven page safety plan discussing my partner coming home, but SS are reluctant to move forward until devices have been cleared and a risk assessment done (they wanted to only do one after conviction but I've since persuaded them to do one after the file is confirmed to be with CPS).
The coordinator was actually lovely and said she thought it was ridiculous that I could have a full safety plan that has been praised by the social workers and management, but then not be allowed to even put it into practice. She also advised me on best route for complaint and the grounds for it, particularly as our local services appear to be so backwards and reluctant to move forward compared to others in nearby boroughs.
Lee - we are actually a step behind, we were told by previous officer that it was with CPS but then we were moved to another officer (which was welcomed as the previous one was appalling) and she clarified that my partners phone hasn't been cleared yet. Nothing found but just needs a manual analyst in order to clear it, and it's waiting for that to happen.
Sarah - in terms of the FGC, I actually requested it months back as we felt that SS weren't hearing us and nothing was moving. I've since been approved to supervise on short periods of time, and this happens everyday. They won't go past 5.5hrs but I'm pushing to see what else can happen.
I spoke to the coordinator today and she said that she didn't see what value a conference could add. Mainly as I have a full seven page safety plan discussing my partner coming home, but SS are reluctant to move forward until devices have been cleared and a risk assessment done (they wanted to only do one after conviction but I've since persuaded them to do one after the file is confirmed to be with CPS).
The coordinator was actually lovely and said she thought it was ridiculous that I could have a full safety plan that has been praised by the social workers and management, but then not be allowed to even put it into practice. She also advised me on best route for complaint and the grounds for it, particularly as our local services appear to be so backwards and reluctant to move forward compared to others in nearby boroughs.
Sounds as though you are extremely proactive. The coordinator is probably correct in thinking you have a robust and thorough safety plan. My only suggestion, if it hasn't been done already, is to ask family members to write a short statement about how they will support you as a family in relation to the safety plan. I am assuming here that your 'group' know of the offending. Kind of like your own FGC done remotely.
I had a family group conference. It allows the family/ extended family to come up with their own plan and create their own support around the children. Ours involved me, the kids dad and both sets of grandparents as well as social worker and external family group conference facilitator. I was really happy to have had ownership over the process and be making the decisions I felt were most important for my children whilst having the support of the whole family in doing that. I was so glad to have done it. I hope that helps.
Hello Pregnantandscared
We are sorry to hear about your situation, but it sounds like you and your partner have done lots of positive work.
If you feel that Childrens’ Services have not handled your case well then you do have the option of putting in a complaint; and it sounds like you have support from someone who runs the family group conferences.
We thought it would be helpful to add that whilst the Childrens’ Services requirements are not legal requirements, things can get difficult if you do not comply with what they are asking you to do. For example, they could put your case forward to the Family Courts; which means it would become a legal situation (which is dealt with separately from any police investigation). You may also experience difficulties with future risk assessments.
We understand that this may feel very worrying to hear, but so far it sounds like you and your partner are doing really well at meeting Childrens’ Services requirements. Where possible we encourage you to keep doing that, but also to put forward your concerns or submit a complaint if you feel that you, your partner or the situation as a whole is not being handled fairly.
If you would like to talk to us in more detail about this, please do give us a call (0808 1000 900).
Take care,
Lucy
We are sorry to hear about your situation, but it sounds like you and your partner have done lots of positive work.
If you feel that Childrens’ Services have not handled your case well then you do have the option of putting in a complaint; and it sounds like you have support from someone who runs the family group conferences.
We thought it would be helpful to add that whilst the Childrens’ Services requirements are not legal requirements, things can get difficult if you do not comply with what they are asking you to do. For example, they could put your case forward to the Family Courts; which means it would become a legal situation (which is dealt with separately from any police investigation). You may also experience difficulties with future risk assessments.
We understand that this may feel very worrying to hear, but so far it sounds like you and your partner are doing really well at meeting Childrens’ Services requirements. Where possible we encourage you to keep doing that, but also to put forward your concerns or submit a complaint if you feel that you, your partner or the situation as a whole is not being handled fairly.
If you would like to talk to us in more detail about this, please do give us a call (0808 1000 900).
Take care,
Lucy
Hi
we had a family group conference a few weeks before baby was born. It lasted all of 10 mins because we could prove that all the family members knew and understood the safety plan I had in place, were able to support and didn't have any concerns. Only things added was that some of the family members will provide me with shift patterns regularly so I know who is around and when for emergency child care cover.
hoping they sort the devises out for you soon so you can get him back home!!
we had a family group conference a few weeks before baby was born. It lasted all of 10 mins because we could prove that all the family members knew and understood the safety plan I had in place, were able to support and didn't have any concerns. Only things added was that some of the family members will provide me with shift patterns regularly so I know who is around and when for emergency child care cover.
hoping they sort the devises out for you soon so you can get him back home!!
Hi all,
so in discussion with the family coordinator and our SW we decided a family group conference wasn't the right choice for right now.
The good news is that our SW does seem to be on the same page as us, and thinks we have done more than expected of us as a family to show we can keep our child safe.
However the bad news is that until the police conclude with devices we can't move forward to risk assessment or step forward.
We are even being limited to just five hours on Christmas Day which is a bit heartbreaking. I've never woken up alone on Christmas Day before so it feels very strange.
I guess we will just have to keep waiting and then hopefully things will move once police FINALLY get a move on.
so in discussion with the family coordinator and our SW we decided a family group conference wasn't the right choice for right now.
The good news is that our SW does seem to be on the same page as us, and thinks we have done more than expected of us as a family to show we can keep our child safe.
However the bad news is that until the police conclude with devices we can't move forward to risk assessment or step forward.
We are even being limited to just five hours on Christmas Day which is a bit heartbreaking. I've never woken up alone on Christmas Day before so it feels very strange.
I guess we will just have to keep waiting and then hopefully things will move once police FINALLY get a move on.