Job Description

The purpose of the Family Group Conference Coordinator is to bring families together to participate in a decision making and planning process that enables families to find their own solutions and contingency plans to meet the needs of their children based on information regarding concerns and what services and resources that are available to them by statutory and voluntary agencies. The aim is to increase the safety and wellbeing of children enabling them to be best supported by their families and remain with their families wherever possible.



Family Group Conference will be utilized for all our children where there are safeguarding risks and are either subject to child protection planning or pre-proceedings. Therefore, strong co-ordination with existing plans and understanding of risk needs to be well understood.



The service ensures that young people and families are appropriately supported to understand the worries of professionals and are empowered to utilize their knowledge, skills and resources to make safe plans for the children in their families.



This post will use the Family Group Conference (FGC) Model to engage with families to facilitate FGC through a Restorative approach in which the family will develop plans to secure desired outcomes to improve and safeguard their child(ren).

Key res

ponsibilities:

To develop relationships with social care professionals and a range of agencies/partners with the aim of establishing the key principles of Family Group Conferences as part of case planning for children and families at all levels. To create partnerships between families and professionals and communities that will achieve better outcomes for children and young people. To ensure that children, young people and their families are treated with equal respect; valuing difference and diversity. To use knowledge of the Family Group Conference Model to prepare and deliver conferences and review as necessary. To facilitate families in being able to identify their own plans that holds the child at the heart. To work with other members of the Quality Assurance service to ensure that links with other FGC projects, both locally and nationally are maintained and developed to ensure that Dorset incorporates any new initiatives and/or research findings into its practice. To be actively be involved in identifying improvements to the service. To follow the guidelines for Family Group Conferencing in the delivery of services. To follow the guidelines for Restorative Conferences in the delivery of services. Collate all information on Family Group Conferences ensuring that all records are kept on appropriate systems. To undertake Family Group Conference training and restorative practice training to successfully facilitate Restorative Conferences and Family Group Conference's. The nature of the post will require flexibility to meet urgent work needs as required; equally to meet the needs of children, young people and their families, and work outside office hours is expected. Take personal and professional responsibility for own training needs and discuss with Line Manager. Undertake any other duties that can be accommodated within the grading level of the post. The post holder is expected to follow directives and instructions and work under their own initiative. Any concerns of practice that may impact on decision making for families must be discussed with the Family Group Conferencing Manager.

Other factors

Supervision and management

Reporting to: Team Manager



NB: The duties and responsibilities of this post are not restrictive, and the post holder may be required on occasion to undertake other duties. This will not substantially change the nature of the post.



This position has a significant travel requirement. This means that there is a requirement for a vehicle (or transport deemed to be suitable by the Council) to be available on most working days in order to carry out normal duties. Employees in positions with a significant travel requirement are required to provide a replacement vehicle if their usual vehicle is not available over an extended period. The post holder will be working alone and visiting children, young people and families in their own environment. Ability to work outside office hours - both planned and on occasions at short notice. An Enhanced DBS with barred list checks is required. Responsible for the safe and competent use of ICT equipment provided as necessary to fulfil the role


Please contact Sharon McEvoy, Family Group Conferencing Manager. You can contact by phone at 01929 557077, or by email at sharon.mcevoy@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.



See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.



See our adult safeguarding policy.