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Family Group Conferencing
How is FGC Different?
Family Group Conferencing is voluntary. In an FGC, the family will work with a neutral person, a coordinator, who helps them with their family meeting.
The family group conference tries to include as many family, friends, community members and helping professionals as possible.
The family decides whom they define as family and together they address areas of concern and how to keep children and others safe.
How Does it Work?
Step 1: A DSS Social Services Worker will ask if the family would like to have a FGC.
Step 2: The DSS worker will then make a referral to SC Families First, who will select a family coordinator.
Step 3: The family coordinator meets with the family, gathers information, including a list of people the family would like to invite to the conference. A date, time, and place is set for the meeting.
Step 4: The coordinator will contact the people to be invited. The family also has the right to contact anyone on the list.
Step 5: The coordinator will review the purpose and goals of the meeting with all invites.
Step 6: The family group plans a menu of food to share with one another at the conference.
Step 7: The family conference is help and the plan is made.
Step 8: A follow up meeting is help if agreed upon by the family.
Why Does it Work?
Family Group Conferencing believes that:
- Children have a right to keep their family and cultural connections throughout their lives;
- Children and their parents belong to a wider family system that both loves and takes care of them;
- Ideally, child welfare and protection decisions can be made within the family group;
- The state supports and wants to build the family group's ability to protect and care for their young relatives;
- Family groups know their own histories, and they use that information to develop a plan to make sure the emotional and physical safety and well being of their children are met.
Family Group Conferencing
- Allows family groups to lead decision making for the care of their children;
- is a group decision making process;
- widens the circle to inclue the broadest family group as defined by the family; and
- is a process where all information needed for planning for children's safety, possible placement and well-being is shared with the family group.
Anyone including family members, Guardian Ad Litems, counselors, school staff, etc. that knows of a family with children in foster care, may refer a family to SC Families First. Simply contact the service worker or one of the staff listed below:
Pat Patrick
Director
843-412-3474
Susan Wilson
Region I Coordinator
864-477-0032
Shelia Johnson
Greenville County FGC
Treatment Coordinator
864-467-7788
Janice Mosley-Boyd
Region II Coordinator
803-240-0462
Jule Schneider
Region III Coordinator
843-906-9462
Jill Aquino
Region IV Coordinator
843-412-8051
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Family Group Conferencing
How is FGC Different?
Family Group Conferencing is voluntary. In an FGC, the family will work with a neutral person, a coordinator, who helps them with their family meeting.
The family group conference tries to include as many family, friends, community members and helping professionals as possible.
The family decides whom they define as family and together they address areas of concern and how to keep children and others safe.
How Does it Work?
Step 1: A DSS Social Services Worker will ask if the family would like to have a FGC.
Step 2: The DSS worker will then make a referral to SC Families First, who will select a family coordinator.
Step 3: The family coordinator meets with the family, gathers information, including a list of people the family would like to invite to the conference. A date, time, and place is set for the meeting.
Step 4: The coordinator will contact the people to be invited. The family also has the right to contact anyone on the list.
Step 5: The coordinator will review the purpose and goals of the meeting with all invites.
Step 6: The family group plans a menu of food to share with one another at the conference.
Step 7: The family conference is help and the plan is made.
Step 8: A follow up meeting is help if agreed upon by the family.
Why Does it Work?
Family Group Conferencing believes that:
- Children have a right to keep their family and cultural connections throughout their lives;
- Children and their parents belong to a wider family system that both loves and takes care of them;
- Ideally, child welfare and protection decisions can be made within the family group;
- The state supports and wants to build the family group's ability to protect and care for their young relatives;
- Family groups know their own histories, and they use that information to develop a plan to make sure the emotional and physical safety and well being of their children are met.
Family Group Conferencing
- Allows family groups to lead decision making for the care of their children;
- is a group decision making process;
- widens the circle to inclue the broadest family group as defined by the family; and
- is a process where all information needed for planning for children's safety, possible placement and well-being is shared with the family group.
Anyone including family members, Guardian Ad Litems, counselors, school staff, etc. that knows of a family with children in foster care, may refer a family to SC Families First. Simply contact the service worker or one of the staff listed below:
Pat Patrick
Director
843-412-3474
Susan Wilson
Region I Coordinator
864-477-0032
Shelia Johnson
Greenville County FGC
Treatment Coordinator
864-467-7788
Janice Mosley-Boyd
Region II Coordinator
803-240-0462
Jule Schneider
Region III Coordinator
843-906-9462
Jill Aquino
Region IV Coordinator
843-412-8051
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Billie Hardee 
