Sandwell’s Family Group Conferencing Service   Leaflet for children and young people Family Group Conference Service Family solutions Team Early Help Oldbury Council House Oldbury B69 3DE 0121 569 8595 07969447327 You might have lots of questions about Family Group Meetings. If you do, you can talk to your convenor and they will help you find the answers.   How you can have your say We need children and young people to tell us what they think about Family Group Meetings. We need to know the things we do well and the things we don’t do so well. You will be asked at the end of your meeting to answer a few questions. What you think really matters to us. Families creating brighter futures   Name of Convenor: Contact details:

Your Convenor is called: What is an FGC? Sometimes if workers have worries about a family and they need to know how best to help them they ask the family if they would like a Family Group Meeting. A Family Group Meeting (or Conference) is a special meeting where families can get together to think about what is happening and plan to make things better. Family Group Meetings are chaired by an independent convenor. Independent means that they do not make any decisions in the way that a teacher or social worker would when they are working with your family. The convenor will meet you and your family to plan and prepare for the meeting and support you in feeling safe.     Who comes to the meeting? The best people to come to the meeting are people who know you well, usually your family. Your convenor will meet with you and you can say who you think should be invited. How will I have my say? It is important that you have your say although you do not have to. You may want to attend the meeting. You may want to attend some of the meeting or you may not want to attend the meeting at all. What ever you decide, your convenor will support you and make sure that your voice gets heard in the meeting. You may be offered an independent advocate who could help you express your wishes and feelings either in person or by a letter for the FGC. The meeting will be for you and your family so you can choose the date and time it happens; the venue and even what food and drink you would like  Your Convenor is called: