People preparing veg and smiling

Welcome to the Research and Practice Network.

Family and Group Conferencing (FGC) is growing as an approach in adult social care and mental health services.  It offers an inclusive process in which people can plan for their support and/or recovery on their own terms - alongside family, friends and other people that matter to them.

The Research and Practice Network provides a forum for developing practice through learning together and exchanging ideas, experiences and findings from research.

This network is hosted by Community Catalysts CIC.

Upcoming Celebration Event - Tuesday 3rd February 2026 10:30am – 3pm Camden Council

This is a warm and open invitation to join us for this celebration event marking the culmination of a three-year research project led by University of Birmingham.
The research makes a considerable contribution to our understanding of the impact of Family and Group Conferencing for Adults in areas of:
• Person-centred care planning
• Mental health recovery
• Support for informal networks including family carers
• Upholding Care Act 2014 principles including wellbeing, prevention and empowerment.

Sarah McClinton (Chief Social Worker for Adults and Mental Health) will chair the event with contributions from academia and practice including:
• Presentations on research findings demonstrating outcomes, impact and costings
• Innovative use of the approach within hospital discharge
• How the approach is bringing neighbourhood health and wellbeing to life
• Resources and opportunities to apply research findings and support the wider adoption of the model.

The event is free to attend and lunch is included, please ensure you book your place to enable us to manage numbers.

Hosted by Community Catalysts CIC with University of Birmingham and London Borough of Camden Council.

14th October 2025 - Online Webinar and Virtual Gathering

Read about the online webinar and virtual gathering which took place on 14th October 2025.

This year's research and practice gathering in London - 8th April 2025

Read about this year's Research and Practice Network Gathering which took place on 8th April in London.

The FGC for Adults Blog

3 women around a meeting table

The FGC lived experience blog

Welcome to the "Family and Community Group Conference Lived Experienced Practice Notes" blog series, brought to you by Kar Man and Tim. In this series, we will share our insights and experiences from Family and Group  Conferencing (FGC).

Other Blog pieces

Read our other blog pieces on

Essex FGC Training
Expanding FGC across service provision
Family and Group Conferencing and the NHS 10 year plan - why it matters
Why FGC for Adults