Family Group Conferencing

In 2013 the Centre will offer training in Family Group Conferencing.

Family Group Conferencing (FGC) is a participative and human rights influenced approach to decision-making. It offers family members and their supporters an opportunity to make decisions and propose plans relating to the welfare of one of their own. It is a practice that appeals to working with a broad range of clients, e.g. in the areas of kinship, family separation, education, youth justice, early childhood, the aged and child protection. With careful preparation and duty of care to participants FGC has yielded positive outcomes working for those who are affected by mental health, disability, loss and grief, substance misuse, family violence and child abuse.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this program you will be able to:

• Apply the principles and practices of family group decision-making
• Plan how to engage families in constructive decision-making
• Identify resources and strategies required to further support your facilitation skills
• Develop an implementation plan for your own practice, program or workplace

Target Audience

This program aims to share the principles of Family Group Conferencing with practitioners from a range of practice areas e.g. Disability, CALD, Mental Health, Education, Youth Justice, Family Relationship Centres, Family Services, Child Protection, Kinship Care, Residential Care and more.

Facilitator

Angela McCullagh has 25 years’ experience in the child and family welfare sector and 15 years of experience in Family Group Conferencing in Child Protection. In 2002 she co-developed the pioneering Aboriginal Family Decision Making Program in Hume Region in conjunction with Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative and advocated its successful adoption into the Victorian state-wide child protection program. In 2007, within a partnership including Dept. of Education, Victoria Police and a Community Health Agency she aligned the practice of Family Group Conferencing and Restorative practices to support vulnerable students at risk of disengaging from education and those at risk of anti-social behaviour eg bullying. 
Angela has convened conferences in both Victoria and New South Wales around a range of matters including working with refugees, elderly, disability, kinship care, mental health, substance misuse and family violence. She is a member of the Victorian Association of Restorative Justice and holds the view that restorative principles apply to FGC when families make decisions that go some way to repair harm to individuals.

Topics Covered

• Principles and theoretical perspectives underpinning family group decision-making practice
• Suitable referrals for FGC
• How to prepare for a FGC and enable a safe process for all
• Strategies to engage families in constructive decision-making
• The ‘how to’ in facilitating a FGC

Dates

Mon 4th & Tues 5th February 2013

Cost

$446 incl GST for Members
$556 incl GST non-Members
 
Arrival

8.45am for a 9am start

The registration form is available here.