The challenges of family group conferences for at-risk children: risk assessment by parents and social workers

• According to parents and social workers, FGC improves at-risk children’s well-being. • Implementation phase perceptions differ between parents and social workers. • Social workers assess children as higher risk compared to parental evaluations. • The organizational environment is crucial in learning and integration of FGC. • Parents and children should be partners in FGC knowledge and practice creation. The current study examined the family group conference (FGC) model implemented in Israel from 2018 to 2021 as an alternative to conventional welfare services for protecting at-risk children. The model fosters deep partnerships among the family, local community, and professionals. This collaboration manifests in defining children’s concerns and creating tailored intervention plans and strategies for the family and child. The study examined the concerns of parents and social workers who participated in the FGC regarding the children and changes in their perceptions following the implementation of the model. The data was collected through closed-ended questionnaires. The findings indicate mixed outcomes regarding the change in the situation of children who participated in FGC. Differences were found in the perceptions of parents and social workers regarding risk and, as such, also in their evaluation of the achievement of goals. Parents found that achieving the goals set in the FCG reduced their children’s risk, while the social workers reported contrasting perceptions. These discrepancies highlight the challenges in implementing FGC and suggest that while the model has the potential to enhance children’s protection, further examination of FGC implementation, and particularly the professional perceptions that guide social workers in child protection, is required. The study contributes to understanding FGC as a practice promoting the protection of children and families