Family support meetings

Family Group Conference Service

The Kent Family Group Conference Service was established in June 2002 and is a way of working with families where plans and decisions need to be made. Every family is unique, with its own culture, personalities, personal dynamics and history. All families come up against problems from time to time. Some more difficult situations involving children can be sorted out more easily with help from family and friends, and some may also need help from the health services, the education department, social services, or other agencies. Family group conferences are a way of giving families the chance to get together to try and make the best plan possible for children.

The decision makers at a family group conference are the family members, and not the professionals. It is here that the mother or father or aunt or grandfather gets together with the child or young person and the rest of the family to talk, make plans and decide how to resolve the situation. A family group conference
co-ordinator organises the meeting, invites the people and makes sure everyone at the meeting has the information they need to make decisions.