Family group meetings
We work with families to support and strengthen their ability to protect and care for their children. Family Group Meetings play an important role in case planning and decision making for children and their families at key points in child protection.
Family Group Meetings and other family decision making meetings empower the child, the child's family and community to make a plan for the child's protection and care needs that focuses on safety and solutions.
In accordance with current legislation and policy, a Family Group Meeting must be held to develop a case plan for a child (that is, an initial case plan) and may also be convened to:
- review and prepare a revised case plan
- consider, make recommendations about, or otherwise deal with, another matter relating to the child's wellbeing and protection and care needs.
Family Group Meetings enable families to be involved in decisions about their child, and build on the strengths and resources within the child or young person's family group, cultural community and wider community.
Family Group Meetings are organised by a convenor who prepares and facilitates the meeting. The convenor may be a departmental officer or a person independent from the department, but will not be the child safety officer involved with the child or young person or their family.
The Family Group Meeting brings together the child or young person (where appropriate), the family, those who best know the child and their family, and other relevant persons and agencies, such as a Independent person for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child or young person.
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