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Restoring Families –

placing Family Group Conferencing

on the Restorative Continuum

Marie Gribben, FGC NIFiona Doherty, Barnardos FWC, NE HSE area

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Family Group Conferencing

What is it ? Where did it come from ?How can it be used ?

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Exercise

“Child in the family”

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A CHILD IN THE FAMILY

PART ONE

• Identify child / sibling group• Who provides full time / shared

care? • Where live? • School /Friends/Activities?• Contact with other side of family?

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Part 2

• How would your family organise themselves to address the issues?

• Who would take the lead ?• What expectations might there be of different members? • How would the VOICE OF THE CHILD be heard? • How can you ensure the Inclusion of all who are important

to the child? • What supports would your family need to make this

possible?

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Quote

• Shannon Pakura - Chief Social Worker New Zealand

• “Caleb - my grandson”

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“I have a three year old grandson. He is the love of my life. He is a handsome wee man; he has sandy hair and a maori nose. He is naughty, he has been known to throw the odd tantrum and there is no denying he is very spoilt. My plea to you as a fellow professional is:Should my Caleb ever come to your attention, should you ever have a professional role to play with him, should you be a social worker, or a lawyer or a co-ordinator or a judge – this is what you must do…You must find his NanaYou must find his aunts and uncles and cousins and friendsYou must find his whanu, hapu, iwi – (kin) – even if he does not know them, they will know himYou must ensure he is surrounded by those who love him and are connected to himYou must not send him to strangers without our consent and involvementYou must move heaven and earth to protect him, remembering he is mine not yours.”

Restorative Practice in Ireland

Justice Residential Care Education

Communities Families Workplace

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StrongerRelationshi

ps

Engagement

Explanation

Expectation Clarity

What happened ?Who has been harmed ?How can we make it right ?

Restorative Language

TO WITH

NOT FOR

Practice Domains

Behaviour, not the personShame affect and emotions- Compass of Shame

Fair Process

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Restorative Practices –Core Elements

• Relationships at the CORE • Explicit Framework: Fair ProcessWorking “With”- Social Discipline Window Awareness of where participants are at – “compass of

shame”Use of Restorative language • Everyone has a voice• Solutions Focused • Respect, Responsibility, Reparation, Restore.

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Restorative Practices Continuum

INFORMAL FORMAL

Affective

Statements

STEP 1

Affective

Questions

STEP 2

Small Impromptu Conference

STEP 3

Group/ Circle

STEP 4

Formal Conference

STEP 5Planned community conference

.................Restorative Parenting.............................................................................

...................................Family Group Conferencing...........................................

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Background

Where does FGC come from ??

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Background •Families solved their problems in Celtic Ireland for centuries through the Brehon Laws –codes of conduct and tradition guiding peoples behaviour. •Hospitality•All acts of harm within community - Restorative in nature – restore the wellbeing of the victim and the community• Kinship care of family members

(The Maori people have similar “federal culture” to Celtic peoples - also present in other ancient cultures .)

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BACKGROUND

• FGC model originated in New Zealand-mandated in child care legislation since 1989

• Since 2002 all 5 HealthTrusts in N Ireland have access to FGC Services in Childrens Services- early discussions to expand to Vulnerable Adults.

• YJA have FGC as Regional response to young people at risk of offending

• FWC legally mandated in Ireland for Special Care cases and Youth Justice Childrens Act 2001 and 2004 Childrens( FWC ) Regulations.FWC accessed in most areas through Childrens Services

• FGC model also used in Ireland in Family and Child cases for support, protection and care.

A Family Group Conference is

a DECISION MAKING MEETING

arranged and run by anINDEPENDENT CO-ORDINATOR

It is a Voluntary process with the voice of the individual being central to the process guiding the

family

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Empowerment

Go to the people, work with them so that when you leave they will say

“ Look what We did! “

Paulo Frere

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Restorative exercise

• Case study A – John

• Consider how your service would currently respond to the issues raised.

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FGC Process- 5 steps

STEP 1 ReferralSTEP 2 Engagement STEP 3 Conference – Information Giving - Private Family Time - Agreeing The Plan - Agree Monitoring and Review of PlanSTEP 4 Implementation of The Plan STEP 5 Reviewing The Plan

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Compass of SHAME

• FGC Coordinator is aware of positioning within the Compass:

• Referrer • Parents • Child • Extended Family • Self

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Statutory Family Power Power

• Statutory v• Deficit focus v• Professional chair v• Professionals arrange v

• Professionals Speak v• Voice of individual muted v • Meeting is formal v• Professionals discuss v

and decide

Voluntary

Strengths focus

Independent facilitator

Family engaged to arrange selves.

Family speak out

Voice of individual central

Meeting is informal

Family discuss and

decide.

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Group Exercise

• What impacted on you from the Presentation? • How do you see the FGC model being

developed or developed further in your area of work or integrated through your role ?

• What needs to happen to make this possible ? • Action Point ......

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How can FGC be used ?

• Any situation when a decision need to be made about the Care needs/ support needs or protection needs of a child or vulnerable adult.

• Disability – physical or learning disability• Mental Health needs - Anxiety / stress/ depression/

diagnosed mental health issue.• Physical Health / impairment. • Substance misuse/ abuse • Abuse- physical, sexual, psychological, emotional . • Domestic Violence – as above and including financial abuse • Education – Absenteeism / presentation/ behaviours .

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FGC Outcomes in Children Services• Children “in need” supported by family and friends . • Children at risk of or victim of abuse protected by family and friends • Children at risk of “admission to care”- averted by family and friends

providing a placement or support to remain at home . • Children in Care – returned home with support or found a family or

friends placement .• Care Leavers – supported by family and friends to live independently.• Education links – improvements in absenteeism / presentation or

behaviours.• Proven Cost effectiveness of FGC approach – for every £1 invested

£8 is saved ( Loughborough Calculator) .

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Restorative Outcomes of FGC • Young people accepting responsibility for their actions and

the impact on the family and making reparation.• Parents accepting responsibility for their actions impacting

on their childrens’ welfare and making reparation by resuming their caring and protective role

• Families accepting responsibility for their members needs and making reparation by providing care, protection and support .

• The “systemic impact” of the FGC engagement process helping other family members accept responsibility for harms caused and make reparation to heal hurt.

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Group Exercise

• What impacted on you from the Presentation? • How do you see the FGC model being

developed or developed further in your area of work or integrated through your role ?

• What needs to happen to make this possible ? • Action Point ......

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