Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership’s (HSCP) Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) Teams have been working with families across the city to give the opportunity for families to sit down and talk about their children’s needs and make plans to support them as a family group.  

Every family, at some time, needs to make big decisions about their children.
Family Group Decision Making can help a child’s wider family, alongside people who are important to the child, to come together to agree on a family plan to support that child, before a life-changing decision is made about their future.

The FGDM Teams work very closely with families and in partnership with other teams, to explore different ways of developing a personalised plan crafted to the child or family’s specific needs that also encourages them to think about how they can get more involved in the care of their children in different ways.

A Family Group Meeting is a way for families to come together to discuss a concern or problem that involves children or young people in the family. This new outreach model of engaging with families is innovative due to its strength-based approach where the families are supported in creating a Family Plan specific to their strengths and weaknesses that can be incorporated into the wider support plan of their children. 

Many families have been helped so far and when asked what impact FGDM has had on their life, one service user said: “It was an exceptional family meeting – honestly, sorted all my issues. They made us feel very comfortable and able to discuss a plan to suit everyone.”

In line with The Promise, FGDM promotes the concept of keeping families together or as connected as possible as safely as possible. As part of this, the FGDM teams can also carry out extended network searches/family tree searches that have often resulted in previously uninvolved family members stepping up to assist in the care of children.

FGDM services work with the local Social Work team to develop family-led plans to prevent children coming into care, to keep children in their extended family, their school and community through kinship care and to support a return to family-based care, where possible. Evaluation undertaken has demonstrated that these plans are effective and stand the test of time for children.

Susan Orr, our HSCP’s Head of Children’s Services, Families for Children/Children’s Residential said: “In Glasgow, we want families to stay together. This service gives the opportunity for people to come together and think about their own needs as well as their children’s needs. We’re very proud of the fantastic work they’ve done so far”.

Dorothy Mukonoweshuro, FGDM Team Leader said: “FGDM is an invaluable service for vulnerable families in Glasgow, we’re dedicated to securing positive outcomes for children and families and always go the extra mile”. 

The FGDM Teams are open to referrals, to find out more about the service, you can get in contact with:

•    North East Team - Margot Thomson (Team Leader) on 0141 276 5111
•    North West Team - Dorothy Mukonoweshuro (Team Leader) on 0141 276 3112
•    South Team - Deborah Chalmers (Team Leader) on 0141 420 0060