Family Group Conferencing: Creating New Normals for At-Risk Families

A presentation by

Dr. Charlene Berquist & Heather BladesThe Center for Dispute Resolution

at Missouri State Universitywww.MissouriState.edu/CDR * CDR@MissouriState.edu * (417) 836-8831

Agenda

What is family group conferencing (FGC)? Our experiences with FGC Overview of the FGC process Research on FGC Discussion of applications of FGC in your work

Introductions

Your name Why are you here? What is your interest in family group

conferencing?

What is Family Group Conferencing?

Family group conferences bring a family together with their relatives, friends, and other supportive people in their lives to develop a plan to support an individual in the family who is facing challenges or difficulties, or to address a specific concern or issue.

Family group conferences create “new normals” for families in a variety of ways

J. Nice, Family Unity Project

“Family Group Decision Making (FGC) is more a family gathering to which service providers are invited, than an agency meeting to which family members are invited.”

History of FGC

Moari Tribe -“PUAO-TE-ATA-TU (DAY BREAK) Federal legislation in New Zealand -1989 Children, Young

Persons, and their Family Act Spread to Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, and

United States First U.S. model is the Family Unity Model –begun in Oregon

apx. 15 years ago – models of practice vary Currently implemented in over 35 states across the U.S.

Contexts Where FGC is Used

Child protection and child welfare Juvenile offending Addiction recovery Re-integration of juveniles/adults after

detention/incarceration Child mental & physical health support Others?

Our Experiences with FGC FGC with female adolescent offenders (Networks for Girls)

Collaborative partnership with Greene County Juvenile Office Program began 2010 Funded by Title II Grant from the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the Missouri Juvenile

Justice Advisory Group from funding provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

FGC with parents in recovery (Regional Partnership Grant) Collaborative partnership with Alternative Opportunities/Carol Jones Recovery Center Program began in 2012 Funded by a federal grant funded by the Children’s Bureau

FGC Training and Support Regularly provide training for volunteers, court and child welfare personnel, and mental health

and recovery professionals Have applied for Federal Healthcare Innovation Grant as a collaborative partner providing Family

Group Conference training and ongoing teleconference communication and conflict management support - notification date January, 2014

Human “Bean” Exercise

Human “Bean” Debrief

What is your reaction to this exercise? How has your family coped with one of these situations?

FGC Traditional Practice

Family Meeting Agency Meeting

Family’s choice Families are mandated

Families are defined broadly Families are narrowly defined

More family representatives More Agency Representatives

Meeting begins with strengths Meeting is problem focused

Private family time Agency representatives present for entire meeting

Family members are the experts Agency representatives are the experts

Family creates the plan Agency representatives create the plan

Family is responsible for follow through

Agency monitors family compliance with the plan

FGC vs. Traditional Practice

The Values and Beliefs of FGC

1. Families have strengths to solve family concerns in times of need.

2. Family members know their family best and should be the primary decision-makers for their family.

3. Families should be respected. 4. Children are best raised in families. 5. Empowering people is preferable to controlling them and

empowering families will lead to families controlling their lives

6. Mistakes are opportunities for growth and development.

“Stand Up” for What You Believe

Benefits of FGC Creates quality plans

Family is invested in the plan. � Family often makes plans more strict and detailed than agency plans. � Creates more stable living arrangements .� Creates better futures for children �

Saves time and money� Offers cost neutrality or savings Saves time by frontloading Decreases court involvement Reduces placements and intensive services

Empowers families and allows them to resolve concerns in a safe environment Creates more resilient families Others?

Voices of Our Participants

“I think it has shown her what strengths she has and what kind of person she is and she is stronger than she knew.”

“…I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that I can speak to my family about any problems we have.”

“Great experience. Really enjoyed being able to voice my thoughts and opinions in a place where they wouldn’t be un-noticed. Hearing what her concerns were helped me realize how she felt about everything.

“This was really amazing and this helped me out a lot. I’m proud and love myself now more than ever and I love my family.”

“This really helped us figure out who is able to be there for support.” “I am very glad this group happened.”

Video: Family Voices

The Four Stages of FGC

1. Referral 2. Preparation 3. The Family Group

Conference 4. Follow Up

The Referral

Process will vary depending on program Role of referring worker

Introduces FGC to primary family Explains agency’s concerns Explains FGC values

Referral information

Role of the Facilitators/Coordinators

Professional vs. volunteer Are impartial architects of the FGC process Prepares family for the FGC and conducts the FGC

Protects the process Keeps a safe space Responds to changes and crisis Facilitates beginning and end Assists in evaluation of the plan

Principles Guiding the Preparation of Families

Family groups are entitled to information because of their decision-making role.

Process should be transparent – no surprises. Family groups must be adequately prepared. Information is shared with everyone – not the “keeper of

secrets”.

Preparing Family & Others

Information is shared with family members What is FGC Why the family is involved What to expect

Family asked key questions Who to include Safety concerns Family culture Strengths and concerns of family Logistics Commitment

Others at the table

Stages of the FGC

Welcome Introduction phase Sharing of strengths and concerns Information sharing Private family time Plan finalization

Current Research in Family Group Conferencing

Focus of current research Participant satisfaction Attitudes of system participants Plan content Perceptions of and placement of children Limited implementation and follow-up research

Gaps in the research Comparison of program types Limited understanding of specific features of process Differences between types of cases and impact Perceptions and experiences of different participants and facilitator/coordinators Long term outcomes

Our Family Group Conferencing Research

Quantitative and Qualitative Program comparisons Participant comparisons Pre-and Post Surveys Observational data Focus Group Interviews Longitudinal outcomes

Application

How might this program format be useful for you?

Are there collaborations you might draw upon?

How could you solicit volunteers and program support?

What challenges might you face in implementing this type of program?

Questions and Comments

To Learn More

The Center for Dispute Resolution at Missouri State University

Phone: (417) 836-8831Email: CDR@MissouriState.edu

Web: www.MissouriState.edu/CDR

Dropbox with Handouts:http://tinyurl.com/meffu9f