Harry
This case concerned a one-year-old boy, Harry, who was living with his mother, Tina, in a flat in a small town. She was living alone, while Harry’s father was living in a city with his mother. Tina was now in a new relationship.
At the time of referral to Daybreak, the social worker had been visiting the family for some time. Harry was subject to a Child Protection Plan, but the situation was deteriorating. There were concerns about Tina’s ability to parent her child and suspicions that drugs were being taken into, and perhaps distributed from, the home.
Tina and the wider family network actively engaged in preparations for the Family Group Conference and the actual meeting, which was attended by five family members and six professionals. Together the family produced a plan that was approved. Over subsequent weeks it was implemented with a high level of support provided by various members of the maternal family.
They again participated fully four months later in the Review and by this time the situation was very different. There had been an overall improvement in the home conditions and Tina’s ability to parent Harry had developed immeasurably. She was no longer engaging with the substance abuse agency as its workers felt that she no longer required their support. It was concluded that the family’s plan had been successfully implemented in the main and that it had achieved significant and positive change. The plan was updated and some small adjustments were made.
At the conclusion of the Review meeting, the social worker informed the family that the child would be removed from the Child Protection Plan and placed at Child in Need (CIN).
Family Group Conferences provide the opportunity for people to work together with their support network to establish a safe and sustainable way forward.