The North Ward Center, Inc. - 5 Institutions . . . 1 Mission

Family Group Conferencing

Since its inception in 1999, the Family Group Conferencing program has coordinated conferences for more than 700 families. The conferences are for families who are clients of New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), where children are either in placement or the degree of risk places children in jeopardy of imminent out-of-home placement.

The process brings people and resources together including the family, extended family, community friends, service providers, clergy, school personnel, DYFS staff and others. It allows the family system to create their own safety plans for children. The family becomes empowered through the coordination and actual conference to establish their own plans that address the issues of permanency, safety and well-being of their children.

In a Family Group Conference, separated families or families at risk of being separated, and people they identify as supportive are brought together to discuss family concerns. With the assistance of a facilitator and co-facilitator, the participants discuss the best options and ideas.

The child welfare system does not solely hold the answers to resolving the issues surrounding child abuse and neglect. It is the untapped strengths of families and resources within the community that must be continuously engaged to improve the level of family functioning and reduce incidents of abuse/neglect. Family Group Conferencing has been viewed as a successful intervention tool to assist in meeting these objectives.

For more information about Family Group Conferencing, call 973-485-5723.