Summary of FGDM

INTRODUCTION

Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM) is a thoroughly studied, innovative social work tool. The use of family conferencing through FGDM enables families, assisted by social workers, relatives and community members, to effectively plan and monitor the safety, protection and care of their children. It is a partnership model that other government and community agencies ultimately could adapt to their work with families.

New Zealand pioneered this approach but practitioners there are quick to state that they built their social work practice on the U.S. 1920's model of community social work. It is now a service that LA County provides to families.

WHAT IS FAMILY GROUP DECISION MAKING?

	A voluntary, specialized type of conferencing service for DCFS families and emancipating youth/young adults.
	Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is a process whereby family members, friends, community specialists and any other persons invited by the family - meet to create a plan for the care and protection of a specific child or children with the assistance of an objective, neutral trained FGDM facilitator and C0-facilitator.
	FGDM also provides a process whereby an emancipating DCFS youth/young adult can invite family, friends, community supports to meet for the purpose of supporting them to develop their emancipation plan.
	FGDM may be utilized at any time during the child welfare process from emergency response through permanency.

HOW IS FGDM UNIQUE?

	FGDM is a social work tool that is currently utilized by DCFS in which the family is empowered (and emancipating youth/young adult) to make decisions and privately create a plan for the care and protection of their child, that is solidly Dependency court approved and backed.
	In Los Angeles County, FGDM was initiated and implemented as a pilot program, which was graduated to a full program status due to its overwhelming success in working with families, Dependency Court, and CSW line staff.
	FGDM is a social work tool that is entirely family driven from start to finish, and also enhances the case carrying CSW working relationship.
	FGDM supports CSW line staff and their Transition Coordinator counterparts, in providing specialized best practice support with their case load families and emancipating youth.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF FGDM?

	Families are assisted in navigating and understanding the child welfare and dependency court systems.
	The combination of family strengths and community support often produce more stable, safer plans for the care and protection of a child than the child welfare agency acting alone.
	Families are more likely to support and participate in a plan that they have created.
	Families are mobilized and supported in protecting their children.
	The inclusion of family and community members increases the frequency and quality of monitoring a child's well being, and helps to develop and improves existing lines of family and extended communication and cooperation.
	FGDM helps reduce work load demands on CSW line staff and their Transition Coordinator counterparts by providing FGDM family and emancipation conference service.
	FGDM is adamantly supported and backed by our Dependency Court.
	FGDM has a track record of helping to improve the working relationship between families and DCFS agency and Dependency Court.

GOALS FOR IMPLEMENTING FGDM THROUGHOUT DCFS

	Reduce the need for out-of-family care.
	Decrease the need for dependency court intervention.
	Reduce expenditure of litigation resources and dependency court costs.
	Decrease the incidence of child maltreatment.
	Increase family, dependency court and social worker satisfaction with the child welfare system.
	Increase the utilization of community resources.
	Decrease caseloads of social workers, attorneys and judicial officers.
	Improve the relationship between families and DCFS.