Cutural origins of the contemporary family group conference

Abstract

Most international scholars acknowledge that contemporary practices with the Family Group Conference have their origins in cultural traditions that frame New Zealand's child welfare legislation (Pennell and Burford, 1995; Hudson et al., 1996; Marsh and Crow, 1997). The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act (1989) was the first legislation in the Western world to require that Family Group Conferences be convened prior to court consideration of state intervention in the care of children or young people (Wilcox et al., 1991). Over the ensuing decade, Family Group Conferences have become the focus of international attention and are now part of professional practice in most Western countries. This is not surprising, given the way Family Group Conferences help to empower families towards greater participation in decisions concerning the care of their children (Connolly, 1994).