|
Family Group Decision Making
Free Resources
Articles & Reports
Families Perspectives
One Family’s Story: How FGDM Reunited Carl, Gina, and Gino
The International Institute on Restorative Practices presents a compelling story about how FGDM was the catalyst to creating child and family safety and well-being for one family. Laura Mirsky follows the Lee Family through their experiences with Child Protective Services that lasted 10 years. It was not until the director for Family Group Decision Making of Los Angeles County contacted the Lee’s about trying a new program that the family would be reunited.
View the article at: http://fp.enter.net/restorativepractices/carlginagino.pdf
Mr. Carl Lee is one of the individuals on the Family Voices documentary, jointly created by the American Humane Association and the International Institute for Restorative Practices.
Children & Young People
by Hilary Horan and Jane Dalrymple
Family Group Conferences are being used in a range of decision-making forums around the world. They operate with an empowering methodology that enables families to partner in the decision-making process. However, safely and effectively involving children and young people in the meeting process continues to be an area of challenge for many communities. Horan and Dalrymple share the work of Barnardo’s Family Group Conference Project in Wiltshire, England, and their use of independent advocates to promote the participatory practice of children and young people in the family group conference process.
by Paul Nixon
Research & Evaluation
This report presents the initial work of the External Evaluation Team for the Family Team Meeting (FTM) Program at the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA). The outcomes and progress of the process evaluation, the impact evaluation and the fiscal impact statement form the content of this report. This external evaluation addresses requirements of the District of Columbia’s Child in Need of Protection Act of 2004 for an “independent process and impact evaluation” of FTMs and the extension to 72 hours for holding the court proceedings regarding the removal of a child.
Download the Protecting Children introductory article Learning with Families: A Synopsis of FGDM Research and Evaluation in Child Welfare which summarizes key messages, themes, and findings from the more than 25 FGDM research and evaluative studies contained in this special publication.
by Paul Nixon and Gale Burford with Andrew Quinn and Josh Edelbaum.
The idea for this study came from a recommendation made from the floor at an American Humane Association's Conference on Family Group Decision Making. It was suggested that a survey be done of programs internationally to ascertain who is doing what and with what results. Carried out in early 2004, the online survey has 225 responses from 16 countries that have programs for family group decision making and related practices.
Volume 1 of the Implementation Report from the Newfoundland/Labrador FGDM project.
Family Violence
by Joan Pennell, from the September 2007 issue of Social Work Now.
Family Group Conferencing (FGC) is one of the best tools today to fight institutional racism, but the use of FGC in situations with family violence still creates legitimate fears among many talented coordinators. Joan Pennell addresses safety concerns in her article from Social Work Now, while focusing on the benefits to families and the larger system of taking on cases involving family violence. As many would agree, Pennell states that preparation is the key to safety and a successful family group conference, under any circumstance.
Overview
Families Gaining Their Seat at the Table
American Humane is pleased to announce the release of a new paper that reviews family engagement strategies documented in the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) and state Program Improvement Plans (PIPs). American Humane commissioned Sara Munson and Madelyn Freundlich to write this report, which highlights various types of family meetings that states are pursuing to improve family and child involvement in case planning.
Download the report.
2006 International Conference on Family Group Conference
The 2006 International Conference on Family Group Conference was held in Wellington, New Zealand -- November 27-29, 2006. This conference was hosted by New Zealand's Department of Child, Youth and Family Services in conjunction with the Family Group Conference network.
Presentations and speeches from the conference:
American Humane's National Center on FGDM
Is your community thinking about implementing family group decision making? Contact:
Lisa Merkel-Holguin
Director, National Center on FGDM
fgdm@americanhumane.org
Manual for Coordinators and Communities: The Organization and Practice of Family Group Decision Making
©August 1995, Gale Burford, Joan Pennell and Susan MacLeod
Restorative Practice and Family Empowerment: Both/And or Either/Or?
- This paper (PDF), by Mike Doolan, reflects on the relationship between the concept of building a global alliance for restorative practices and family empowerment.
- The Family Group Conference: A Mainstream Approach in Child Welfare Decision Making (PDF) by Mike Doolan, senior adjunct fellow with the Department of Social Work, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
- The Family Group Conference 14-Year Journey: Celebrating the Sucesses, Learning the Lessons, Embracing the Challenges (PDF) by Shannon Pakura, chief social worker with the New Zealand Department of Child, Youth, and Family Services in Wellington, New Zealand.
A Compilation of State and Provincial Laws, Policies, Rules and Regulations on Family Group Decision Making and Other Family Engagement Approaches in Child Welfare Decision Making American Humane
Duty Calls: The Response of Law, Policy and Practice to Participation Right in Child Welfare Systems Involving Children in FGDM by Mike Doolan
|
