Family Group Conferences and Child Protection: A Review of International Research on Outcomes

This article will explore the international use of Family Group Conferences (FGCs) in the field of child protection, reviewing the range of research studies which analyse outcomes for children and young people, when FGCs have... [ view full abstract ]

This article will explore the international use of Family Group Conferences (FGCs) in the field of child protection, reviewing the range of research studies which analyse outcomes for children and young people, when FGCs have been used in this area.
FGCs originated in New Zealand in the 1980s, in response to the disproportionate number of Maori children in the care system at that time and since then, they have become an internationally recognised method of social work intervention, having been implemented in a range of countries in Europe as well as in Australia, the USA and Canada.
Outcome studies have shown mixed results and whilst some studies show that FGCs are more successful in achieving positive outcomes for children and young people than traditional and existing child protection systems, other studies have shown the opposite impact or indeed suggest that FGCs do not make a difference to outcome measures.
The article will go on to explore the hypothesis that FGCs are more likely to be successful when they are an integral part of child protection systems, substantiated by legislation and policy, such as in New Zealand and most of Australia and less successful when they are an ‘add on’ service to existing processes.
It concludes with recommendations on how FGCs should be an integral part of child protection processes in the UK to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Key words:
Family Group Conferences
Child Protection
Outcomes for children