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.

Annie reflects on how she first came across the approach during an interim role as Head of Safeguarding in Camden. This is where she encountered the approach first-hand, and saw the difference it made in complex safeguarding cases. “What really struck me… was the enthusiasm and the passion of the social workers… and that was really infectious.”

Now working independently at the sharp end of complex court cases or safeguarding adult reviews, Annie sees the system from a different angle, one often filled with frustration, fragmentation, and late stage crisis response. “I can see the anguish, the frustration… the challenge [people] have to go through, meandering this health and social care system,” she shares. It is from this view point that Annie now advocates strongly for FGC for adults not as a last resort, but as an earlier, person-centred offer which brings together people, their families and kin and professionals to plan and act collectively with the person at the centre.  Annie calls on organisations to be bolder in their thinking. “I would say to any organisation, to be courageous, to be innovative… the solutions we have don’t always work” she shares.

At its heart, FGC is truly about the person and those who care about them, and co-producing solutions that reflect their wishes, culture, and support networks “it’s an investment worth making”, Annie concludes

We invite you to watch the film and consider how FGC might enhance your local offer, practice, organisation, and most importantly, the people at the centre of the care you seek to provide.  If you’re interested in learning more about how we can support with setting up an FGC for adults offer where you are then please get in touch.