For parents and the general public

Perhaps you are dealing with some of these questions right now: how to cope with raising a child who is hard to manage or struggling at school, how to get in touch with your child in alternative care, or how to deal with financial and housing problems or relationship conflicts that seriously affect your children's wellbeing.

What is a Family Group Conference?

It is a meeting that brings together not only the parents and the child, but also grandparents and other relatives, family friends and even neighbours. Everyone who cares about what happens to the child. Together they look for a solution to the difficult situation of a child at risk.

Why choose a Family Group Conference?

We believe that you and your family are the ones who will find the best solution for your child.

To do so, you may need information, support or help. Many problems are easier to handle with the help of relatives and the people close to you, and professionals can help with others. Asking family, friends and professionals for help can be hard, and that is exactly where a Family Group Conference helps.

Who should you invite to a Family Group Conference?

The people best placed to help children are most often relatives and friends. The main idea of a Family Group Conference is to invite as many people from the family's circle as possible to look for a solution. Experience shows that even people who have little contact with the family come to the meeting with very good ideas.

You can also choose to invite professionals (a psychologist, an addiction specialist, a debt counsellor, a teacher and so on). They will give you the information you need and help make your plan realistic.

An independent coordinator will help you contact all possible participants and invite them to the meeting. Preparing a Family Group Conference usually takes 4–6 weeks.

How does the meeting work?

The coordinator is available to you throughout. The meeting has three parts:

Part 1: Sharing information

Everyone has the chance to learn as much as possible about the family's situation. If a social worker is present, they will explain why they are concerned about the child's future. You can ask the invited professionals questions and clarify any details. You can use this information when making your plan.

Part 2: Private family time

The professionals and the coordinator leave the room. You are on your own to create a concrete plan that will improve the child's situation. It should include:

• Who will do what, and by when;
• What help you will need, and from whom;
• How you will check that the plan is being carried out.

Don't worry! If you get stuck, you can call the coordinator for help. They are always close by in the next room.

Part 3: Agreeing the family plan

Once you and your family have drawn up the family plan, you present it to the social worker. If the plan is safe for your child, it will be approved.

What happens after the meeting?

Everyone who committed to a task in the plan carries it out by the agreed time. You can take up the offer to meet again after a few months to review how your solution is working and whether anything needs to change.

If everyone does their very best, a safe world can be restored for your child.

What a Family Group Conference is not

A Family Group Conference is not a place to blame anyone or to hold past mistakes against them, and it is not a place for exercising power over others.

Downloads (in Czech): Leaflet for families, Family application for a Family Group Conference