Developing an evaluation of family group conferencing across Wales

Quinn-Aziz, Abyd 2011. Developing an evaluation of family group conferencing across Wales. MPhil Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Family group conferences (FGCs) were developed in New Zealand in the 1980s and from there began to be used across the world. The model puts decision making in the hands of families with professionals as resources in cases where the welfare of children was concerned. As a relatively new intervention, the model has undergone a range of scrutiny and discussion. This research project was set up to develop an evaluation tool that was then used in number of projects across Wales. In line with FGC philosophy, the views of users of FGC services (families, referrers and FGC workers) were sought in developing the tool. An audit of evaluation carried out by FGC services in Wales and England was undertaken to inform semi-structured interviews with a range of participants involved in FGCs. The All Wales Family Group Meeting Network (AWFGMN) was consulted throughout the development of the tool, which was then used by projects across the country for two 18 month periods of data gathering. Data are presented from 486 FGCs, showing the amount of work FGC projects carried out, who was prepared, who attended and their demographic details. The views of participants in FGCs on whether they felt their FGCs met the aims identified for it are reported. On the whole, referrers, young people and their carers felt that their FGCs met their aims, but there are gaps in the data. The usefulness or otherwise of the tool developed with stakeholders is explored in light of the data gathered and the findings presented. Consideration is given to the strengths and weaknesses of using this model of development of evaluation in comparison to that which might be developed by a researcher looking at FGC.

Item Type:	Thesis (MPhil)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	10 Jan 2018 04:11
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/19733

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