Family Group Decision Making is central to the whole-family approach underpinning Families First. The ambition is to support children to remain living safely with their birth parents wherever possible. Evidence consistently shows that children who are able to remain safely within their family networks experience better long-term outcomes than those who enter local authority care.
Empowering families and wider family networks to make plans for their children, supported by practitioners in both Family Help and Multi-Agency Child Protection, is a core element of this end-to-end system reform.
What family group decision making means
Family Group Decision Making describes a voluntary process that brings together the child’s wider family network to develop a family-led plan in response to concerns about a child’s safety and wellbeing. The process is facilitated by skilled professionals but is driven by the family.
The aim is to create safe, sustainable plans that build on family strengths and relationships. This approach recognises that families are often best placed to identify solutions when they are given the right information, support and opportunity to do so.
National expectations
National guidance sets clear expectations for local areas to embed Family Group Decision Making throughout the system. This includes building a “family first” culture in which Family Group Decision Making is considered at every stage, from early Family Help through to Multi-Agency Child Protection and, where necessary, into care proceedings.
Family Group Decision Making should be offered at the pre-proceedings stage so that families on the edge of care are given a meaningful opportunity to develop their own plan before care proceedings are initiated, where this is in the child’s best interests.
Working Together and the National Framework also set expectations that Family Group Decision Making should be considered when a child and family are receiving help, support or protection. It should also be considered as part of reunification planning where a child may return to the care of their birth parents or wider family network, where appropriate.
Integration across the system
Family Group Decision Making is not a standalone intervention. It forms part of the integrated Families First system, working alongside Family Help and Multi-Agency Child Protection.
By embedding Family Group Decision Making across the continuum of need, Derbyshire aims to strengthen family networks, reduce unnecessary escalation and ensure that children’s safety and wellbeing remain central to all planning and decision-making.