Family Group Conferences

Service design & family experience

Strengthening Family Networks
March 4, 2025

Family Group Conferences: Service design & family experience

Summary

This protocol summarises plans for a research project to improve understanding of how families experience Family Group Conferences (FGCs). The project will develop recommendations on how to achieve more equitable access.

Who, what, why and how?

Family group conferences (FGCs) are a form of family group decision making (FGDM) used in children’s social care. Our evidence has shown that FGCs can be effective at reducing the number of children going into care when completed at the pre-proceedings stage.

Despite this, there is currently limited data on exactly when and how families are presented with an offer of FGC and why some families choose to take up this offer or refuse it.

To address this gap, we have commissioned Coram and Family Rights Group to conduct a research project exploring how FGCs are offered to families in England and the factors influencing their decision to take up or turn down this offer.

The main aims of this project are:

To understand the organisational and service context that influences how, when, and by whom FGCs are offered
To understand the intersectional barriers and enablers that impact families being offered and/or accepting an FGC
To understand the families’ experiences in being offered and undergoing an FGC
To co-produce evidence-based solutions, including highlighting best practice, that support local authorities and the sector to deliver more equitable access and higher take-up.

The project will use a range of methods including:

Rapid evidence review
Discovery phase – mixed-method deep dives with six local authorities and a survey of FGC services
Sector and academic interviews
National data collection of local authorities in England
Co-design of solutions.

Research Questions

What, how, by whom, and when:

Regarding FGC, what exactly is offered to parents/carers, how is it offered, by whom is it offered, and when is it offered, including at pre-proceeding stage and prior to pre-proceedings?

Barriers and enablers:

What are the barriers and enablers for LAs (including social workers, other professionals, and FGC services) when offering FGCs to parents/carers of families at the pre-proceedings stage and prior to pre-proceedings?
What are the barriers and enablers for parents/carers agreeing to an FGC at the pre-proceedings stage and prior to pre-proceedings?
What are the barriers and enablers for other family members (including children) to agreeing to be part of an FGC at the pre-proceedings stage and prior to pre-proceedings?

Equity of access:

What are the characteristics of families that are offered and take up FGC, including at pre-proceeding, and those that do not?
Why are some families not offered an FGC? Have there been eligibility criteria used by LAs when deciding on making an offer and how has this differed across LAs?
What factors relating to FGC services or characteristics relating to families themselves appear to be barriers to families being offered and accepting an FGC?
How do families/professionals think the FGC offer could be made more equitable for families or easy for them to take up? Are there elements of this process that could better meet the needs of families from different diverse backgrounds/with different needs?

Data collection will be conducted via an excel spreadsheet, and is designed to be completed by local authorities in England. The deadline for data collection is Friday 4 April 2025. Please refer to the guidance document below for more details on how to participate, and contact impactandevaluation@coram.org.uk if you have any further queries.

Evaluation partners

Coram & Family Rights Group

Due Date

This project is due to be completed by September 2025.

Protocol

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Data collection guidance

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