Key Policy Decisions in Implementing Family Group Conferences: Observations Drawn from the New Zealand Model

Source: (1996) In: M. Hardin (ed.), Family Group Conferences in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases: Learning from the Experience of New Zealand. Washington, DC: ABA Center on Children and the Law. American Bar Association, pp. 121-152.

The author identifies questions which need to be answered by those who will design and administer Family Group Conferences (FGCs) to gain their full potential. Issues include that family group conferences represent a new paradigm for servicing families, values and assumptions underlying FGCs, rationale for having FGCs, anticipating criticisms, defining key terms, responsibility for authorizing and conducting the FGCs, and eligibility, qualities, elements, objectives and program design. The author recommends making FGCs an ongoing part of the community service structure.