The international evidence on Family Group Conferences

Scourfield, Jonathan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6218-8158, Wood, Sophie and Meindl, Melissa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1231-0175 2025. The international evidence on Family Group Conferences. Sanders, Michael, Westlake, David and Hirneis, Vanessa, eds. Experimental Methods and Children's Social Care. The Contribution of Randomised Controlled Trials, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 29-42. (10.4337/9781035327157.00011)

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

This chapter explores the implementation and challenges of Family Group Conferences (FGCs) within child protection, emphasising family empowerment through participation. It addresses key issues such as ensuring children's voices are heard, cultural sensitivity, family dynamics in cases of domestic abuse, and systemic barriers, including resource constraints and professional resistance. The chapter discusses the complexities of balancing safety, accountability and empowerment, particularly in cases involving intimate partner violence. It also highlights the debate surrounding randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of FGCs, with arguments for evaluating their effectiveness in upholding family rights. Last, the need for further research into long-term outcomes and the contexts that lead to better results is underscored.

Item Type:	Book Section
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education) Research Institutes & Centres > Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE)
Publisher:	Edward Elgar
ISBN:	9781035327140
Funders:	NIHR
Last Modified:	31 Oct 2025 10:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181986

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item