Family Group Conference Research

In social care, mobilizing network support is a topical issue. Networks are at the heart of Family Group Conferencing, or Family Group Decision Making. FGC originated in New Zealand but has spread to many countries worldwide. In this book, FGC researchers with different methodological orientations discuss their findings and reflect candidly on the methodological choices they made and the challenges faced. The 'what works' versus 'context' controversy in social work research is highlighted from different perspectives. Moreover, the interaction between FGC and the care system in which it is embedded, is illustrated through a variety of disciplines including governance studies, law, and economic analysis.

The wealth of insights collated make this book unique. The book is relevant for researchers, care professionals and (inter-) national policy makers. They will benefit from the experiences and visions shared in this book.

Ten different research teams have contributed to this book. The editors are associate professors at Erasmus University, Rotterdam. This publication was financially supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research and the Municipality of Rotterdam.