Mahesh Sharanya, Tew Jerry, Mitchell Mary, Au Kar-Man, Nicholls Vicky, Quinn Aziz Abyd, Johnson Miranda, Vincent T K
University of Birmingham School of Social Policy, Birmingham, England, UK.
School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
NIHR Open Res. 2025 Jun 6;5:20. doi: 10.3310/nihropenres.13811.2. eCollection 2025.
Family and Group Conferencing (FGC) is a relatively new strengths-based approach applied to adults needing social care and mental health support in the UK. Although the approach is well established in children's services in the UK, few services currently offer FGCs to adults; therefore, there is limited evidence regarding FGCs in the adult services context in the UK. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how FGCs work and what differences they can make in people's lives.
This paper (Part 1) addresses the first of two related research questions, aiming to characterize the practice model(s) that pertain to the context of adults' FGCs as currently offered. We employed a mixed methods research design drawing on data from both, previous literature as well as current practice by undertaking a comprehensive literature review, national survey and stakeholder interviews with current services and a deliberative forum involving a range of stakeholders pertaining to adult FGCs.
Although there is some variation in the practice model(s) offered by services, the overall approach is underpinned by a relatively consistent set of values and principles, although these are often implicit. The FGC offers a staged approach that enables people and their networks to take greater control over their support arrangements. It is seen as an appropriate service offer across all adults and mental health services with the potential to result in a range of positive outcomes (as will be discussed in Part 2).
Central to achieving this is flexibility within the service offer to accommodate the social and cultural needs of the individual and their network, the independence of the FGC coordinator, the necessity of sufficient preparation for all participants, and rapport building in advance of the Conference.
家庭与团体会议（FGC）是一种相对较新的基于优势的方法，应用于英国需要社会护理和心理健康支持的成年人。尽管该方法在英国儿童服务中已得到广泛应用，但目前很少有服务机构为成年人提供家庭与团体会议；因此，关于英国成人服务背景下家庭与团体会议的证据有限。本研究旨在通过考察家庭与团体会议的运作方式以及它们能给人们生活带来哪些不同来填补这一空白。
本文（第1部分）探讨两个相关研究问题中的第一个，旨在描述当前所提供的与成人家庭与团体会议背景相关的实践模式。我们采用了混合方法研究设计，借鉴以往文献和当前实践的数据，进行了全面的文献综述、全国性调查以及对当前服务机构的利益相关者访谈，并举办了一个涉及一系列与成人家庭与团体会议相关利益者的审议论坛。
尽管各服务机构提供的实践模式存在一些差异，但总体方法基于一套相对一致的价值观和原则，尽管这些往往是隐含的。家庭与团体会议提供了一种分阶段的方法，使人们及其社交网络能够对他们的支持安排有更大的控制权。它被视为适用于所有成年人及心理健康服务的一种合适服务方式，有可能带来一系列积极成果（将在第2部分讨论）。
要实现这一点，关键在于服务提供的灵活性，以适应个人及其社交网络的社会和文化需求、家庭与团体会议协调员的独立性、所有参与者充分准备的必要性以及会议前建立融洽关系。
