New research to fill data gaps on Family Group Conferences

Today Foundations and partners have published Exploring local authority data and monitoring of family group conferences: Recommendations for a national data collection of Family Group Conferences, a new report that reveals gaps in the national picture of Family Group Conferences (FGCs), and launched further research including a national data collection, to fill these gaps.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is set to require local authorities to offer family-group decision-making (FGDM), of which Family Group Conferences (FGCs) are one model. FGCs are a family-led decision-making process at which the wider family, friends and community network come together to plan for a child at risk of harm or abuse, ensuring the child’s voice is heard where possible.

Previous Foundations’ research has shown that FGCs can be effective at diverting children from care. While widely used in England, there is currently no national data or standardised system to track how often FGCs are offered, who takes them up, or their long-term outcomes. Today’s new report from Foundations and partners Coram, Family Rights Group, Daybreak and Data to Insight, reveals variations in how local authorities report on FGCs, and recommends a national voluntary collection of local authority-level FGC data to build a comprehensive national picture about how they are being used.

In response to this recommendation, the next phase of research, also announced today, launches a national data collection on families’ access to FGCs.

New report highlights gaps in FGC data

Exploring local authority data and monitoring reveals that while many local authorities record outputs, such as the number of referrals and conference meetings held, only a limited number report on the outcomes of FGCs for families.

To fill these gaps, the report recommends a national voluntary collection of local authority-level FGC data, a move supported by the local authorities surveyed. If viable, this could be developed into an annual child-level data collection from local authorities, either as a standalone process or through existing national government data collection systems, which could in the future contribute to the children's social care dashboard.

National survey on FGC uptake

In response, Foundations, Coram and Family Rights Group are today launching a national data collection of local authorities in England – taking forward recommendations from the data and monitoring report – to understand access and take up of FGCs. The survey will collect aggregated data at a local authority level which will be used to understand how many families are offered an FGC and whether there is variation in those that are offered an FGC and those that take it up. This data can also be used to inform the support offered to local authorities as they roll out family-group decision-making, as mandated in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The data collection will run until 4 April 2025.

New research to strengthen evidence on FGCs

Foundations is partnering with Coram and Family Rights Group to conduct research with local authorities into the accessibility and equity of FGCs, particularly for racially minoritised and marginalised families', drawing on the experiences of parents and carers.

The research will include in-depth case studies with six local authorities, including interviews and focus groups with parents, carers and local authority staff to understand the barriers and enablers to offering and taking up FGCs. The work is informed by an Experts by Experience Advisory Group of parents/carers who have lived experience with FGCs or children’s social care.

The report’s recommendations will be co-produced in workshops with local authorities and the advisory group, and is due for publication in September 2025.

Dr Jo Casebourne, Chief Executive at Foundations, says:

“Our landmark randomised controlled trial with Coram and Family Rights’ Group demonstrated the power of FGCs to help keep children safely with their families. We now need to work with local authorities to fill gaps in the national picture about how FGCs are being used, whether they are meeting the needs of families and their long-term impacts.

“The launch today of national data collection will build a clearer picture of what is happening with FGCs across the country and support local authorities to ensure that they are not only accessible but also make a real difference for families and children.

“This research is essential because if FGCs are properly supported and embedded in children’s services, they have the potential to change lives by helping more children remain safely with their families.”

Dr Carol Homden, Chief Executive at Coram, says:

“Coram is pleased to be partnering once again with Foundations and Family Rights Group on this important research. Having undertaken the UK's first randomised controlled trial of FGCs for families in pre-proceedings and led the FGC data and monitoring study, we know that it is critical that FGC services are supported to collect and report on FGCs and show the impact they have on children and families. We now look forward to working with our partners to deliver the first ever national data collection on FGCs which we hope will inform upcoming policy developments and ensure that FGCs are accessible to all, including those from marginalised communities.”

Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive at Family Rights Group, says:

“Every week we hear from families calling our national advice line where a family group conference has not been offered, or the offer is made too late in the day. This is a missed opportunity to explore how family and friends can support children to live safely with their parents, or provide alternative care, if a child can’t remain at home. Some children and parents appear particularly impacted. For instance, we hear from care experienced young parents where social workers have incorrectly assumed they had no family or friends to draw on.

“This important research is about building an accurate and detailed picture about when and how FGCs are offered across the country. It’s critical for ensuring the new national family group decision making offer and future policy changes will have real, lasting impact.”

Debbie Burns, CEO at Daybreak, says:

“Having been involved in the Randomised Control trial proving the effectiveness of FGCs in keeping children safe within their families, Daybreak is delighted to see Family Group Decision Making being mandated through the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill.

“The collection of accurate and meaningful data as part of any FGC service is crucial to fully understanding how FGCs are being used, family experiences of the process and the long-term impacts for families who participate in an FGC.”

Alistair Herbert, lead officer at Data to Insight, says:

“We’re delighted to have supported this research, and to have been able to help make sure it takes into account the broad diversity of context and approach across participating local authorities. FGC is an important area of practice for the local authorities we’ve spoken to, and we’re keen to see how the sector develops its approaches into the future.”