Developing effective Family and Group Conferences for Adults

Empowering people to make decisions about their support is crucial to good practice. New learning materials explore how effective Family and Group Conferences (FGCs) for Adults can improve outcomes.

Originally used in children and family services FGCs are a growing area of adult social care. They provide an inclusive way of giving people the power to make their own plans alongside the people that matter to them – with the backing of services if needed. Plans may focus on supporting safety, recovery, challenges, relationships and community connections.

The new materials aim to support understanding, develop services and deliver training. The three sections explain:  

• What a FGC is and how it empowers people to create their own plan for support.
• What is important to consider when commissioning or developing new FGC services.
• The ingredients of effective FGC practice.  

Including people who matter such as family members, friends, neighbours, members of faith communities, and other familiar faces means we can produce better outcomes.

Using the resource

The materials can be used in a range of ways to support understanding of the key aspects of FGCs, commission and develop services and develop bespoke in-house training. Each section has an introduction that explains what is covered, and what the learning outcomes are.

Developing the resource

The learning materials, videos and tools have been developed as a collaboration between Research in Practice, Community Catalysts and the University of Birmingham.

The resources are linked to a national research project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research which explored how Family and Group Conferencing works in adult social care practice and what difference it can make in people’s lives.

Community Catalysts continues to host a national Research and Practice Network for anyone interested in developing this approach: info@communitycatalysts.co.uk.