Description of FGDM Coordination and Conference Process
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THE COORDINATION Process
After the CSW, family members or emancipating youth have agreed to have a conference, FGDM coordinator starts the process of researching, contacting and consulting with participants to prepare and arrange for the Family or Emancipation Conference.
Coordinators conduct interviews with the family and the referring CSW, SCSW or other parties involved in the dependency proceedings to discuss the process, the roles of the participants, and the parameters of the conference. The following questions are examples of some of the questions used as guides in the discussion for family conferences:
| What is the Purpose for having a family conference? |
| What are the child safety concerns? |
| Who are the family and friends, i.e. church, neighbors, professionals, that would be a support for the family? |
| When would be a good date, time, and place for family conference that would accommodate the most participants? |
| What are the family's strengths, resources and concerns? |
| What are DCFS' strengths, resources and concerns? |
| Are there enough people to accomplish the purpose? |
| What are DCFS' non-negotiable/bottom line issues? |
For emancipation conferences:
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What is the youth's short and long term goals, concerning education, vocation and personal? |
| What is the youth's plan for education, employment, and living arrangements? |
| What is the target emancipation date that would most benefit the youth? |
| What does the youth need in order to emancipate successfully? |
| What kind of support system does the youth have or need pre and post emancipation? |
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Does youth/young adult have special needs or circumstances? |
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With both family and emancipation conferences, exhaustive efforts are made to identify and mobilize any and all potential and actual family, extended family, community to support the family/youth during and after the conference |
**Logistical arrangements for the conferences will be made based on family needs and availability with special consideration for CSW availability.**
THE CONFERENCE process
All conferences are facilitated by FGDM facilitator and co-facilitator to promote supportive and focused communication for all participants. The facilitators guide the discussion to assist the family/youth to develop their action plan. Family and Emancipation conferences have different phases and are facilitated differently.
FAMILY CONFERENCE has three phases usually occurring between3- 5 hours, and includes a family alone time for private discussions. The phases are described below:
Phase I
| Introduction of purpose and participants. |
| Family is asked if they would like to start with special prayer, ritual, moment of silence, or other act meaningful to the family. |
| Explanation of ground rules for a respectful discussion and exchange. Rules of confidentiality and the mandated reporting exception. |
| Clarification of the agreed family and agency Purpose. |
| Participants recognize and discuss family strengths. |
| Participants state their concerns as it relates to the purpose. |
| CSW states agency concerns and any agency driven bottom line issues. |
| Explanation and clarification of the agency (DCFS) or legal processes (when appropriate). |
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Select family volunteer to record during next phase, "family alone time". |
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***The primary purpose of the guided group discussion is to prepare family for "family alone time." |
Phase II
| All mandated reporters and non-family members leave, unless otherwise unanimously agreed to by family, to allow the family to have a private discussion in order to create their own plan to resolve the stated child and family welfare concerns. |
| The family is asked to choose a leader who will guide the discussion and record the family plan on a flip chart. Plan to include WHO/ WHAT/ HOW/ WHEN. |
| The family also shares a meal together in the family alone time. |
| When the family concludes their family alone time, they will invite the rest of the participants back into the discussion. |
Phase III
| Family presents their plan. CSW is given opportunity to consider family plan. |
| If plan is rejected, CSW explains clearly why plan is unacceptable and suggests ways of making it acceptable. |
| Facilitator assists the family and social worker with achieving a collective agreement. |
| When family and CSW agree on family plan, family is informed that CSW will submit their plan, attached to the CSW next court report, for the next court date. |
| Monitoring the plan implementation is discussed. Family is asked to select a family member to monitor their family plan. Monitor to be available to monitor progress and support family in successfully the implementation of family plan. Monitor will also be available for CSW to call. |
| FGDM Facilitator offers a follow-up conference when and if any participant should deem it desirable, beneficial or necessary. |
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Conference closing. The family determines how they wish to end the conference i.e. special prayer, ritual, moment of silence, or other act meaningful to the family. |
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A summary, called "Notes and Plan", is prepared and mailed to all parties in attendance (which is also true for an emancipation conference). If the family's plan requires a change in a current court order, the CSW must submit a change of order. CSW will submit the families Notes and Plan, attached to the CSW next court report, for the next court date. |
EMANCIPATION CONFERENCE is facilitated with a structured agenda. There is no "alone or private family time". However, the conference is guided to ensure that the Youth's goals and wishes are honored. The facilitators, CSW and all participants remain in the conference to support and assist the emancipating youth throughout the entire conference. The agenda is as follows:
GOALS
a. Short-term goals( next 12 months)-educational, vocational and housing.
b. Long-term goals( 2-4 years)- educational, vocational and housing.
EMANCIPATION OPTIONS
a. Housing (Family, DCFS and Community)
b. School
c. Employment
EMANCIPATION ACTION PLAN
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THINGS TO DO |
BY WHOM |
DATE TO BE COMPLETED BY |
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This Emancipation Action Plan Grid covers the following categories: Housing, Employment, Education, Finances, Transportation, Personal Care, Mental & Dental, Necessary Documents for Emancipation and desired Emancipation date. |
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A summary of "Notes and Plan", is prepared and mailed to the Youth and all parties in attendance. The Youth will utilize the Notes and Plan as a check list of things to do to accomplish his/her goals. CSW will submit the Youth's Notes and Plan at the next court date to update court on Youth's Emancipation Plans. |