Home | Family and Group Conferencing

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.

Community Catalysts CIC

Join us! Online Webinar Tuesday 14th October 10-11 am

You are warmly invited to join us on Tuesday 14th October, 10 – 11am for an online webinar launching recent research by the University of Birmingham capturing the impact of Family and Group Conferencing for Adults.

Join us as we hear how this transformational approach is effecting change for people, communities and systems – allowing people and their networks to be at the centre of their care and to stay safe and well.

FREE to attend, to book your place please visit the link below.

Following the webinar, there is the option to remain with us as we hear practice examples from Edinburgh, Perth and Kinross and Waltham Forest, where we will hear how FGC for Adults is making ‘transitional safeguarding’ a reality for young people in London and supporting people in recovery from addiction in Scotland.

All are welcome to remain with us for the full event (10 am - 1pm) or to leave at the end of the webinar.

We hope to see you there to connect and celebrate the impact that Family and Group Conferencing for Adults is having across the UK.

Book here

July's blog

Expanding FGC across service provsion

Dr Lynn Prendergast, Holistic Reach Consultancy Ltd and Jo Shead, Senior Practitioner, Essex Perinatal Mental Health Service talk about the honour and challenge of supporting the award-winning Adult Mental Health FGC service in EPUT, which has been operational since 2002 and provides a service in secondary mental health care helping over 120 families a year.

Expanding FGC across service provision

August's blog

Family And Group Conferencing for Adults and the NHS 10-Year Plan - Why It Matters

In our August blog Nick Sinclair, Programme Director at Community Catalysts, talks about the recent NHS 10-Year Plan and why it matters.

Family And Group Conferencing for Adults and the NHS 10-Year Plan – Why It Matters

10-year-health-plan-image-e1751533527615

Latest of our monthly blogs

Why Family and Group Conferencing for adults?

In this blog piece, Zoe Miller (Programme Catalyst) writes about her reflections from her time supporting Community Catalyst’s role as the hosts of the Family and Group Conferencing for adults Research and Practice Network in the UK. She shares why hosting this network is the perfect fit for Community Catalysts and her growing enthusiasm for the potential of this approach to strengthen local and personal networks, build capacity and forge powerful partnerships to help people live well.

Why Family and Group Conferencing for adults?

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.

This year’s Research and Practice Network Gathering – 8th April 2025

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).

The FGC lived experience blog

Alivia Bray and Lyndsey Taylor of the Adult Mental Health Family Group Conferencing service in Essex talk about the training programme which has been developed there with the aim of sharing the skills and the ethos of FGC, and to demonstrate its place in the provision of collaborative mental healthcare and decision-making as widely as possible.

Essex FGC Training

the transformative role of FGC

Safeguarding Adults: Family and Group Conferencing for Adults

We are pleased to launch a short film featuring the reflections of Annie Ho, an independent social worker with over three decades of experience in adult social care. In this personal account, Annie shares a journey through the sector, her evolving perspective, and her view on the transformative role that Family and Group Conferencing (FGC) can play in safeguarding and supporting adults and their families.

Safeguarding Adults: Family and Group Conferencing for Adults

stories from direct experience

How FGC can help people - the power of the FGC

One of the best ways of learning about FGC is from the stories of people who have direct, lived experience. Visit our Stories page to find out more.

Stories

Research

FGC: Characterising the Practice Model and Developing Programme Theory

The formulation of the practice model (s) and programme theory statements are drawn from a realist synthesis of the research and practice literature, a national survey of practice, targeted interviews with a range of people involved in delivering FGC service (including people with direct experience of going through the process) and a Deliberative Forum that brought together FGC coordinators, social workers, service managers, academics and people with lived experience.

A visualisation of programme theory

Training opportunities

Adult FGC Coordinator training with Daybreak

Do you work with Adults? Are you looking for a restorative model that empowers and enables your client to engage in a process that puts them at the centre, and leading, on their own planning and decision making?
Daybreak are currently planning their 2025 training schedule. You can find out more using the link below...

Training opportunities with Daybreak

A tribute to Rob van Pagee

Remembering Rob Van Pagee: A Visionary Leader in Family Group Conferencing

Tim Fisher talks about Rob van Pagee, a world leader in the world of Family Group Conferencing who sadly passed away recently.

Remembering Rob Van Pagee

Research and Practice Network

Stronger together

Making our own plans for support and recovery

Making plans our way

Welcome to the Research and Practice Network.

Join us! Online Webinar Tuesday 14th October 10-11 am

Expanding FGC across service provsion

Family And Group Conferencing for Adults and the NHS 10-Year Plan - Why It Matters

Why Family and Group Conferencing for adults?

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

The FGC lived experience blog

Safeguarding Adults: Family and Group Conferencing for Adults

How FGC can help people - the power of the FGC

FGC: Characterising the Practice Model and Developing Programme Theory

Adult FGC Coordinator training with Daybreak

Remembering Rob Van Pagee: A Visionary Leader in Family Group Conferencing

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