Family Group Conference Coordinator
Facilitate family group conferences — a restorative, family-led decision-making process for children and families in the child protection and care systems — an FGC Network-trained coordinator role.
Low
High
FGC foundation training: 5 days plus supervised practice (several months); prior professional background (social work, family support, community work) required by most employers; total pathway depends on starting professional background
FGC Network-accredited training (typically a 5-day foundation training programme plus supervised practice); qualification in social work, family support, counselling, community development, or related field commonly required by employers. No statutory qualification requirement for the FGC coordinator role specifically.
possible
What you do
Family Group Conference (FGC) coordinators facilitate a structured, family-led meeting process in which a child or young person's extended family and support network come together — without professionals present during the private family time — to make a plan to keep the child safe and supported. FGCs are used in child protection, children in care, SEND, education, and adult safeguarding contexts. The process has three phases: preparation (coordinator meets separately with all participants including the child, parents, extended family, and professionals to ensure everyone is ready and informed); the family conference itself (professionals present information, then withdraw while the family makes their own plan); and follow-up (coordinator supports implementation of the family plan).
As an FGC coordinator, you are an independent neutral facilitator — you do not represent social services, the child's school, or any other statutory body. Your independence is essential to the model's integrity. You build trusting relationships with family members who may be suspicious of professionals, including people from diverse cultural backgrounds, people with communication needs, and people in conflict with statutory systems. You write up plans, liaise between families and referring agencies, and support reviews. FGC coordinators are employed by local authorities, children's charities, or independent FGC services. The Family Group Conference Network (FGC Network, now part of the wider Family Group Decision Making field) provides training and standards.
Why this career is resilient
FGC has been endorsed in multiple government reviews of children's social care — including the Independent Review of Children's Social Care (2022) and subsequent government response — as a cost-effective, rights-based, and family-empowering approach. The expansion of restorative and family-led approaches in children's services is a structural policy direction that creates sustained demand for trained FGC coordinators.
FGC is increasingly commissioned beyond the traditional child protection context — in schools (for exclusion prevention and SEND planning), adult services, housing, and justice settings — broadening the employment base. The independent coordinator model creates clear role boundaries that protect the practitioner from the adversarial dynamics of child protection casework. Growing evidence on outcomes supports continued investment.
A typical day
Morning: preparation visit to a grandmother who will host the family conference — she has concerns about her granddaughter's safety at home and is anxious about confronting her daughter at the meeting; spend 90 minutes listening, explaining the process, and helping her prepare what she wants to say. Afternoon: preparation meeting with the referring social worker — share professionals' information statement for the family conference. Later afternoon: preparation visit with the child (aged 11) — using age-appropriate activities to help her understand the process and identify her wishes and feelings for the plan. Complete visit notes and FGC co-ordination records. Plan logistics for the conference scheduled next week.
Routes in
Employer-funded training
Some employers — particularly the NHS, emergency services, and larger care providers — run their own funded training programmes. You apply for a job and train as you work.
Pay and costs
Earning potential: FGC coordinator salary: approximately £28,000–£38,000 depending on sector and experience. Local authority FGC services tend to pay on social care support staff scales. Independent FGC organisations vary. Sessional/freelance FGC coordinator work available in some areas.
Training costs: FGC Network foundation training: approximately £500–£1,000 for 5-day course. Prior professional qualification costs variable. Travel costs for home visits are a significant feature of FGC coordinator roles — ensure mileage expenses are covered by employer.