Quotation for a pilot based Family Group Conferencing (FCG) model in Bolton

Bolton Council are looking to commission a service who can work with us on a pilot scheme based on the Family Group Conferencing (FCG) model in Bolton. A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a decision-making meeting in which the service user's wider family and network come together to plan about the future arrangements for the child/adult. The plan will ensure that the child is safe, and their wellbeing is promoted.

Family Group Conferences are intended as a respectful and empowering process in which parents, children and members of the wider family or friends are given clear information about the concerns and are asked to work with the Family Group Conference facilitator to produce a plan that addresses those concerns and answers specific queries. The expectation is that the referrer (the family's allocated social worker or early help practitioner) will attend the FGC to outline the strengths/concerns and then leave the meeting to enable the family to produce a plan that will safeguard against the concerns.

Every family is unique and has its own community values, culture, personalities, dynamics, and history. An FGC uses the family's'/friends’ own skills, strengths, and personal knowledge to resolve difficulties. Using the family's own expertise and ensuring their involvement in the FGC process can help to support the difficulties that are being experienced by the child/young person at that time.

FGC is a targeted approach to prevention and helps to identify the shared needs and collective assets of the family and local community at an early stage, bringing to the fore more creative options and resources as an alternative to reliance on services.

The ethos of Family Group Conference is primarily consensual; however, within Children's Services, where the child is subject to, or on the periphery of becoming a Child in Care, the FGC may be an expected requirement of the child's Social Care Plan.

The proposed funding for the 12-month pilot is £46,500.00 and within this we would aim for the service to provide the following expected service delivery:

• Deliver a Family Group Conference provision in Bolton, based on the above principles.

• Engage with the family and undertake relevant preparatory/exploratory work to inform the family meeting.

• Facilitate and deliver an initial FGC meeting with the family and complete an FGC plan within an agreed timescale.

• Provide and facilitate a subsequent review meeting with the family, at a timescale determined as part of their plan, or in liaison with the family and their social worker/early help practitioner.

• Deliver a further FGC if needed or where requested (this is applicable if circumstances significantly change for a family and where a further family meeting would be beneficial to revisit their plan).

• Maintain an independent and neutral position for the family to support the delivery of a Family Group meeting and plan.

• Liaise with the FGC coordinator within Children Services as well as the relevant Social Worker/Early Help Practitioner.

A referral for a Family Group Conference may also be considered when:

• A Bolton Child is in Care, to support a swift return to family/ family friends.
• Children open to Bolton social care with a case status of CP, LAC or CIN or Targeted Early Help.
• When a Restorative Conversation is required.
• When mediation is required between parents/family members to agree a plan.
• Children open to a TAF, where Targeted Early Help are involved and there is an identified acute risk/ concern that cannot be resolved through the existing plan.

We would look to co-produce and implement the service, alongside the successful provider, determining the Key Performance Indicators, for the pilot project. However, the service needs to be flexible and responsive to demand.

At this time, we are requesting initial quotations for this service and would welcome your response. Any quotation(s) received shall be considered and providers contacted if the commission is to be progressed. We are looking to begin this work as soon as possible so your timely response would be appreciated.

Please include details of how you can meet the requirements above, within the designated funding offer, and how you would look to implement the service in Bolton. Please include as much detail as possible around implementation and delivery over the 12 months. This will help us to match against the needs of the service and families of Bolton.

Please note the closing date of Friday 8th September 2023 at 17:00 and kindly send any quotations to childrenscommissioning@bolton.gov.uk and we will be in touch in due course.