Source: (2003) Restorative Practices E-Forum. February 20.
Originally developed in New Zealand, family group conferencing (FGC) is a restorative approach that involves children, young persons, and adults in families in making their own decisions in problem-solving. As Laura Mirsky notes, FGC began in the field of child welfare and youth justice, but it is now used in areas such as mental health, education, and domestic violence. Moreover, FGC has spread into a number of other countries, where it can be known under other names with slightly different emphases – for example, family group decision making, and family unity meeting. In this article, first in a series, Mirsky introduces core principles and features of FGC, and with practical examples she highlights the application of FGC in child welfare contexts in a variety of countries.
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