Purpose

The future delivery of Family Group
Conferences in Wiltshire following the current contract ending on
March 31st 2024

Content

Resolved:
 
Cabinet agreed
to:
 

1)   
Approve a budget of £900,000 over a possible five years,
for the delivery of Family Group Conferences. The contract will be
offered initially for three (3) years with a possible two-year (2)
extension. 

 

2)   
Approve that Family Group Conferences is commissioned externally
through an open procurement from 1 April 2025.  
 

3)   
To delegate authority to approve and award a new contract and
any future extensions and all associated documents to the Director
of Commissioning and the Corporate Director responsible for People
in consultation with theDeputy Leader and the Cabinet Member
responsible for Children’s Services, Education and
Skills. 
 
Reason for
Proposals 
 

To make Family Group Conferences (FGC) available to all families
that would benefit from this approach.  

 

According to results from a study conducted by Coram in June 2023
children whose families were referred for FGC are significantly
less likely to go into care or to be taken to court for decisions
about their care.  This service not only forms an important
intervention to support the well-being of children but also
prevents the potential for costlier interventions later. 

 

The FGC service offers cost effective family focussed support for
families. The Coram Report recommends that ‘Local authorities
should continue the use of FGCs at pre-proceedings stage where
services already exist and consider their introduction in other
areas’.   

 

The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care –
Final report by Josh McAllister recommends that more should be done
to involve family members and wider networks in the decision about
children’s care.