Family Group Decision Making

When family lives overseas, we help bring them to the decision-making table.

Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) places the child's extended family and community at the centre of the decision-making process.

CFAB's FGDM service supports local authorities to include family members overseas in Family Group Decision Making, helping them to meet their statutory requirement under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

By bringing together children, families and professionals, we help identify family strengths, explore safe options and develop clear plans that support a child's wellbeing and future.

To learn more about how Family Group Decision Making impacts your work, read our Practice Briefing here.

Our process

What we can help you achieve

Early identification

of safe family options

Improved participation

for family overseas

Better outcomes

for children

Why choose CFAB?

Our expertise in international child protection means we are uniquely placed to facilitate FGDM where a child has family members who are living abroad.

Scottish Local Authority professional: "I would just like to take this opportunity to personally thank you and CFAB for the unwavering support and invaluable guidance you've provided me over the years. Your expert input has been instrumental in helping us successfully navigate the complexities of overseas assessments."

We can support:

• Family participation across different countries and time zones
• Language and communication needs
• Cross-cultural family dynamics
• International kinship care planning

How we can help

Our coordinators support families and professionals throughout the FGDM process, including:

• Referral and assessment
• Identification of family networks
• Preparation and engagement with family members
• Safeguarding and risk assessments
• FGDM meeting facilitation
• Development of a clear family plan
• Follow-up and progress monitoring

WIth our support, children with family across borders can remain connected to the people who love and support them, through a care plan which keeps their family at the centre of the decision-making process.

Find out more

To learn more about our services, get in touch with our team.

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