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Family Group Decision-Making Approaches: State & Local Examples

Many States, counties, and localities have implemented family group decision-making models either as a pilot project or systemwide. The following examples provide descriptions of implementation plans and processes, practice guidelines, evaluations, and outcomes from programs throughout the United States.

DFCS Family Team Meeting Facilitator Training, Parts 1 and 2: Participant Guide (PDF - 410 KB)
Kogerma (2007)
Training used in Georgia's Division of Family and Children Services to teach facilitators how to coordinate an effective family team meeting.

Empowering Families in Child Protection Cases: An Implementation Evaluation of Hawai'i's ‘Ohana Conferencing Program (PDF - 869 KB)
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Technical Assistance Bulletin, 7(2), 2003
Summarizes a process and outcome evaluation of a conferencing project in operation since 1996.

Families as Resources: The Washington State Family Group Conference Project
Vesneski & Kemp (2000)
In Family Group Conferencing: New Directions in Community-Centered Child and Family Practice
View Abstract
Study results suggest that both the content and the outcomes of conferences are consistent with family-centered and strengths-based practice and that relative and parental placements appear to be robustly supported by conferences.

Family Group Decision-Making: Preliminary Evaluation (PDF - 424 KB)
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (2005)
Preliminary qualitative and quantitative results of the implementation of family group decision-making in multiple sites in Texas.

The Family Unity Meeting Program in the County of San Diego Child Protection Setting
Quinnet (2002)
Outlines implementation of the family unity meeting process in San Diego including key elements and description of a four-step sequential process.

Focus on Foster Care: Family Group Decision-Making (PDF - 208 KB)
Casey Family Programs (2005)
Describes the implementation of a family group decision-making strategy in Texas.

Hampshire County, U.K.: A Place of Innovation for Family Group Conferencing
International Institute for Restorative Practices (2003)
Explores the variety of family group conferencing programs in Hampshire County, UK. Highlights efforts to involve children and families in all phases of the process, from direct self-referral to staff hiring. (PDF - 245 KB)

The Miami Model Court Family Decision-Making Conference Program: Evaluation Results (PDF - 2079 KB)
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Technical Assistance Bulletin, 5(3), 2001
Findings based on data collected from a sample of 87 family decision-making conferences held between 1999 and 2000.

Practice Guidelines for Family-Centered Meetings (PDF - 150 KB)
North Carolina Family-Centered Meetings Project (2005)
Describes a five-phase process for child and family team meetings and shared parenting meetings required by North Carolina Division of Social Services policy.

Promoting Permanency: Family Group Conferencing at the Manhattan Family Treatment Court (PDF - 127 KB)
Wolf
Journal of the Center for Families, Children and the Courts, 4, 2003
Describes the court’s use of family group conferencing to engage family members in developing solutions to support two primary goals: speedy permanency and parental sobriety.

Updated on February 24, 2010