A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a way of fully involving a family in the planning, decision making and arrangements for the care, protection and supervision of the child, young person or vulnerable adult.
In Essex, Essex Social Care arrange FGC's where they and family members are very concerned about the welfare of a child or adult and a FGC may be the best way of deciding on action. At the moment FGC's may be arranged where there are serious concerns about the welfare of a child, where a young person has committed an offence, or where an adult family member has a serious mental health problem.
The FGC approach is based on the belief that families can usually find their own solutions to the difficulties they are facing and that children, young people or vulnerable adults have a right to have their families involved in their future planning.
FGC's aim to help the family use their knowledge and experience to make sure the child, young person, or vulnerable adult is safe where they live and can develop as an individual. The child, young person or adult are encouraged to take part in the decisions that directly affect them.
