概述
为谁而设
Family Group Conferencing involves families who have been referred by the Department of Child Protection. We work with parents, children, extended family and any other relevant person in the family circle.
我们如何提供帮助
Independent coordination and facilitation of Family Group Conferences that enable families to come together to make informed decisions about their children and young people.
期待什么
Family Group Conferencing is offered as in-person, group family sessions. Followed by private family time and space to make decisions as a family.
我们如何提供帮助:
我们以儿童为中心。
A circle is protection and safety whose boundary helps encourage sharing and confidentiality. Circle work allows us to sit in story to connect the act of Dadirri deep listening.
For the Children
Ngartuitya (nar too it yah) is a Kaurna concept from the traditional owners of the Adelaide Plains region meaning ‘for the Children’. This concept values and spotlights children and reorients the focus to be for them, not without them.
Ngartuitya Family Group Conference team recognises the protective factors that cultural identity provides. All families from diverse cultural backgrounds will be provided, wherever possible, an appropriate Ngartuitya Coordinator whose role includes ensuring that the processes of the conference support the family’s cultural identity and encourages pride in culture.
It is of critical importance to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection system and Ngartuitya Family Group Conference Service will provide Aboriginal Coordinators wherever possible and appropriate, to ensure services are culturally inclusive, safe and respectful to Aboriginal families living in South Australia.
Families also have the right to choose a cultural representative to attend their Family Group Conference.
What is Family Group Conferencing?
Family Group Conferencing provides an opportunity for a child or young person and their family to make informed decisions about their own arrangements for the care and protection of the child or young person, and to make voluntary arrangements for their care that are consistent with the priorities outlined in Chapter 2 of the Children and Young Person (Safety) Act 2017 (CYPS Act). Family Group Conferencing can also be convened to review arrangements and decisions made at a previous conference.
Family Group Conferencing is underpinned by the principles of family led decision making which recognises that:
- Families are experts in their own lives.
- Family involved in a Group Conference broadly includes the children, parents extended family and even significant friends and neighbours to the family who may not actually be blood related. Families have the right to have a cultural representative present at their conference.
- Families, including extended family and communities, have a pivotal role in the care and protection of children and young people
- Empowering families to make informed decisions about what’s best for their children and young people, benefits children and young people, families and communities
- Better outcomes are achieved for children when families and children themselves are involved in decision-making processes, when safe to do so
- Children and young people’s connection to their family and culture is crucial to their wellbeing and development.
家庭群组会议如何运作?
- 对于要参加 Ngartuitya 家庭小组会议的家庭,他们必须得到儿童保护部 (DCP) 社工关于儿童安全问题的充分告知,并同意采取全家庭参与的方式,以尽量减少或消除儿童成长过程中的风险。
- DCP 社工将向家庭解释家庭小组会议的目的,包括谁可以参加会议。参加家庭小组会议是自愿的。
- 一旦家庭同意参加,他们将被转介到南澳大利亚州关系澳大利亚的 Ngartuitya 家庭小组会议服务处,该服务处将与家庭联系,讨论转介事宜并为会议做准备。这包括指派一名 Ngartuitya 协调员来支持家庭成员为了孩子的利益而聚在一起。
- 准备阶段是关键阶段,因为 Ngartuitya 协调员与家庭密切合作,以确保所有能够积极照顾孩子的人都被邀请参加会议。
- Ngartuitya 协调员与儿童或青少年及其父母合作,负责决定谁可以参加家庭小组会议。这一决定取决于某人的参与是否可能有助于在家庭小组会议期间达成有利于儿童福祉的协议。
- Ngartuitya 协调员将出席会议,以确保家庭会议顺利进行。DCP 社会工作者也将出席会议。
- 家庭协议需要解决儿童保护部提出的问题。家庭协议必须得到父母/监护人、儿童或青少年(如果在场)和 DCP 社会工作者的同意 在 会议。
- Ngartuitya 协调员的职责是提供家庭小组会议上做出的所有决定的书面记录。这可能包括有关护理安排、文化支持和联系、联系安排以及父母/监护人、其他机构和家庭成员要求采取的任何行动的决定。
Ngartitya 家庭小组会议团队渴望听到您的反馈,我们将联系每位参与者,了解他们的体验,以帮助我们了解哪些方面做得好,哪些方面可以做得更好。
For families to participate in an Ngartuitya Family Group Conference (NFGC) they must be fully informed by a Department for Child Protection (DCP) social worker about the safety concerns for the child and agree that to minimise or remove those risks for the child to thrive, a whole of family approach could work.
Families’ participation in a Family Group Conference is voluntary.
Once the family agrees to participate, they are referred to Ngartuitya Family Group Conference Service at Relationships Australia South Australia who will connect with the family to discuss preparation for the conference. This includes the allocation of a Ngartuitya Coordinator to support members of the family come together for the benefit of the child.
Once the child, parents and all family members have understood the purpose and agree to participate in an NFGC, the Ngartuitya Coordinator will organise a suitable venue and time so that the family can come together to discuss how, as a family, they will work together to support the child.
On the day of the Family Group Conference, the Ngartuitya Coordinator will be present at the venue and family members will attend. Either this can be in person, via video or telephone link or the Ngartuitya Coordinator can provide written contributions from those who cannot attend. The space will be set up to be welcoming and facilitate shared discussion.
- Introduction to the Ngartuitya Family Group Conference – The first part is sitting together as a family so the Ngartuitya Coordinator can ensure that everyone present, including the DCP social worker, is aware of the purpose, each person’s role and responsibility and that the child’s safety concerns to be addressed, are clear to everyone present.
- Family time – This is private time and space for the family to make decisions on what solutions they can provide within their own family and community to address concerns raised. The Ngartuitya Coordinator can provide facilitation assistance if requested by the family. The DCP social worker is not part of the family time
- Family Agreement (the plan) – The Family Agreement has to say what needs to be done, by who, and when these actions need to be taken to address the safety and wellbeing concerns for the child or young person. All participants, including the DCP social worker – who is required to approve the Family Agreement, must agree to the decisions made, understand their own role and their responsibilities within the timeframes agreed on at the conference. The Ngartuitya Coordinator will ensure that all present receive a copy of the family agreement.
Families will be followed up by the Ngartuitya Coordinator and the DCP social worker within 3 months to see how the Family Agreement is working and to assist with any adjustments. The Ngartuitya Coordinator will check in with the family and may arrange for the family meet again and participate in another conference.
The family is able to request a review if two or more family members who participated in the Family Group Conference believe it is required.
Family involved in a Group Conference will include children, parents, extended family and even significant friends and neighbours to the family (who may not actually be blood related) and can include a cultural representative.
Families, including extended family and communities, have an important role in caring for children and young people, and keeping them safe.
资金致谢
Ngartuitya Family Group Conferencing is funded by the South Australian Department for Child Protection.