Transcript Developing FGC Standards in Northern Ireland

Developing FGC Standards in Northern
Ireland
Mena Wilson
Family Group Conference Forum Organiser (NI)
Objective
This workshop will
• share our experience in Northern Ireland of working
together to develop the standards;
• the process and challenges of this work and
• how the standards are being used by FGC services in
their work.
Where We Are
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Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is a small country.
Part of the UK at 243, 610 sq Km ,
N Ireland is only 14,148 sq Km - just over a third
of the size of the Netherlands
N Ireland has a population of only 1.8 m
(as compared to 2.7m in the city of
Amsterdam).
FGC Services
• N Ireland is organised into 5 Health and Social Care Trusts
• Each Trust has a FGC Service
• Services in 4 Trust Areas are run in-house by an Independent
Team within Social Services
• Voluntary Organisations run FGC Service in 2 Trust Areas.
• Since 2006 the Dept of Health in N Ireland has set “priority for
action” targets for FGC – “that 500 children to have
experienced an FGC each year”.
• Services have met and surpassed the target each year.
• Family Group Conference Forum(NI)
What was our thinking?
• Why have standards?
• What do we mean by standards?
• Things to consider when beginning…
Why do we need standards
• The standards have been developed
to assist children, young people, adults
and families as well as professionals
both understand what a Family Group
Conference is and what they can expect
if involved in one.
• These standards identify the basic
requirements that can be expected
from a Family Group Conference.
Writing FGC Standards
Audience
Market
Costs
Budget
Distribution
Type and Style of document
Shelf Life
Practicalities
Consultation required
Internal & external
What currently informs your FGC practice?
What work has already been done?
What resources do you already have? (people and information)
Process
Initial thinking
Workshop
Completion
and Launch
Second Draft
for wider
consultation
Leader and
Working
Group
First Draft to
select
readership
Goals for the initial thinking workshop
• To examine the National FGC Standards for Scotland, and the way
in which the document was produced and with what rationale, in
order to discuss how the NI Forum might approach a similar task.
• To reach a general consensus as to what kind (if any) of
Standards/Guidelines document would be appropriate for use
nationally in NI.
• And within this discussion to consider the current Regional
Guidance for FGC.
• To agree a strategy for work arising from today’s workshop e.g.
working groups.
Workshop Followed the FGC format
Decision to be made today?
Why are we here?
Goals
Consensus
Preparation/
Information Sharing
Why Scotland did it
What we learned
How we did it
Look at the Standards
Private Family Time
What are the chief points (+/-) that strike NI?
What will NI take from this document? (Form & Content)
What will NI do differently?
(Form & Content)
Family Plan
Feedback/Opinions
Consensus Discussion
Ready to start writing own Standards
Development Plan
Direct work (small groups?) on getting started
Completion of a working plan
Monitor & Review
How?
Who? Timescales?
Empowering Families:
Regional Guidance on the provision of Family Group Conferences in
HSS Trusts Children and Young People Services.
July 2011
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THE FAMILY GROUP CONFERENCE PROCESS
Referral
Preparation
Family Group
Conference
Implementation
of the Plan
Review of
the Plan
Application form completed by social worker
with consent of parent(s) gained.
Case allocated to Independent FGC Coordinator
Completed usually in
6 weeks however depends on individual
family circumstances – Co-ordinator
engages directly with child, family, extended
family and friends and professionals. All
prepared for FGC.
Advocate offered to child/ vulnerable
adult.
1. Information sharing by professionals
2. Private Family Time- voices of child and
family members, discussion and agreements
made.
3. Family Plan – actions and contingency
plan agreed
Family appoint a monitor from within family
to be the Guardian of the plan and ensure all
agreed actions are fulfilled by family and
social services.
Plan reviewed with family’s agreement at
any time (usually 12 weeks ).
Support and solutions are sought for any
actions not fulfilled.
Considerations
• Process
• Content
• Format
Process
Required
• “Driver”/Leader to keep to timescales
• Appropriately informed people in
the workgroup
• Identification of target audience
• Consultation/other agency
involvement with appropriate
timing: who and when?
• Someone good to write/edit it
• Family and child involvement
Challenges
• Expense
• Time required: very difficult to do
a full time job and write this
document – at risk of becoming
an add-on
Content
Required / Desirable
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Inviting presentation
“Keep it simple”
Reader friendly
Accessible and well-signposted (consider
colour coding)
Children & Family views respectfully
represented
Cover as many scenarios as required
Build on / reflect a strong practice base
Look to other agencies for input
Include legal and policy context including
Care and Leaving Care
Include Health and Safety e.g. for Lone
workers
Challenges
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Defining the document – is it solely
Standards?
Suggestion: “Principles, Standards
and Procedures”, which includes
ethos, outcome measurements and
good practice guidelines
Standards must be measurable
Format
Required
Challenges
• Consider amalgamating the
document with existing Regional
Guidance
• Different media/types of
presentation need to be explored
• Cost
• Appropriate designer/publisher
Work plan
• Identify leadership: champion (driver) to keep the group and
process on track, co-ordinate and organise it, and keep the vision
• Set the timescale
• Identify key participants- the right people with the right variety of
skills who believe in the FGC model e.g. a Committee/Reference
Group – for consistency and commitment
• Define who is the audience? This will define language and style etc
• Decide if this is a regional or national document?
• Identify a skilled writer, editor and proof-reader
• Establish wider contacts/groups etc for networking and input and
link into key agencies/people e.g. Department, CEO’s, policy-makers
• Decide how best to identify key roles and gather other views
• What would you consider the key
standards for our work ?
Standards
• Standard one
The FGC Service will provide a high quality service which works within
the NI FGC Standards.
• Standard two
The voice of the child/young person/vulnerable adult will be central to the
FGC process and must be sought and heard at all stages of the process.
• Standard three
Everyone participating in the FGC will be prepared and supported throughout
the process.
• Standard four
Families have a right to private family time within a safe and supportive
environment in order to make decisions and plans.
• Standard five
Families have the right to have safe plans agreed and resourced.
• Standard six
Families have the right to be involved in the development of FGC Services.
Activity
Consider your standard and what needs to be
in place to meet it…
Contents of Standards Document
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One Introduction
Two Key principles of the process
Three Family Group Conference process
Four Family Group Conference Standards
Challenges of the work
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Links to other guidance and policies
Addressing potential range of application
Inclusion of family feedback
Focussed and time limited piece of work
Launch and celebration of the work
How standards guide our work
• In accredited training programme-assignment
links practice to the standards
• Managers use standards in supervision and
team meetings
• Regional Guidance refers to it
• Next step – Baseline to evaluate practice
• Use in negotiations with Social Services –helps
protect the model.
Mena Wilson
Family Group Conference Co-ordinator
www.fgcforumni.org