Building bridges in Liverpool: Exploring the use of family group conferences for Black and minority ethnic children and their families.

Source: (2010) British Journal of Social Work. 40(7): 2034-2049.

There is little national or international research that examines how Family Group Conferences (FGCs) are being used with, or viewed by, black and minority ethnic (BME) children and families. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a FGC project by Building Bridges, a service commissioned to address the psychological and mental health needs of BME children and their families in Liverpool (UK). The evaluation uses both quantitative and qualitative information to explore the use of the FGC model within diverse communities and contexts. The authors conclude that although the model is effective and culturally appropriate, there may be challenges in terms of the range and depth of needs that can be met through the FGC intervention model. Suggestions are made for maximising the cultural application of the model and recommendations are made for further research to explore the views of BME children and their families. (author’s abstract)