FGC Coordinator

Hertfordshire; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council invites applications for an FGC Coordinator to support the Family Group Conference service. You will coordinate conferences, engage with children and families, and work with the Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams to ensure families have access to FGC and create supportive plans.

Ideally you will have a social work qualification, be registered with SW England if applicable, and possess skills in group facilitation, communication, and IT.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in child social care or a similar setting.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality work for families, children, and young people.
• Direct experience of children and young people’s participation.
• Ability to manage groups and meetings.
• Understanding of complex family dynamics and needs of CYP.
• Knowledge of Family Group Conferencing (advantageous).
• Social work qualification and SW England registration if applicable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and facilitate Family Group Conferences.
• Work with Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams to offer FGCs to families.
• Promote benefits of family-led plans to support children.
• Engage practitioners and visit families to empower FGC participation.
• Work with families on plans during Child Protection or PLO/Court proceedings.
• Maintain reflective, strengths-based approaches in practice.

Skills

Child welfare

Group facilitation

Multi-agency working

IT proficiency

Communication

Teamwork

Flexibility

Education

Social work qualification

Tools

MS Office

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Stevenage Campus

Job title: FGC Coordinator
Salary:£39,481 progressing to £43,149 per annum
Location: Hertfordshire

2x covering East /North Herts
2x covering South / West Herts

Hours: Full time and part time available (min 22.5 hours per week)
Contract: Permanent
Directorate: Childrens Practitioner

About the team

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 mandates Local Authorities to offer family group decision-making meetings before applying to take a child into care, promoting family involvement in care decisions. In Hertfordshire our family group decision making offer includes the option of a Family Network Meeting and / or a Family Group Conference (FGC).

Hertfordshire has a well-established and accredited Family Group Conference (FGC) Service. We believe that all families open to Hertfordshire Children’s Services should be supported to come together, talk through concerns and find solutions from within their own networks at the earliest opportunity and that FGCs offer this possibility.

To enhance Hertfordshire’s Family Group Decision Making offer and support practitioners within the Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams, we are recruiting FGC Coordinators to join our experienced, innovative and friendly team, where reflective, relationship-based and systemic practice is supported and encouraged.

About the role

As an FGC coordinator, you will be coordinating and facilitating Family Group Conferences which will involve direct work with children and families.

As an FGC coordinator, you will be working alongside the Multi Agency Child Protection Teams, to ensure every family has been offered the opportunity to have an FGC. You will be an integral part of the team, promoting the benefits of bringing families together to create a plan of support for their children. This will involve offering referral discussions with practitioners and visiting families to empower them to see the benefits of having an FGC.

This role offers the opportunity to primarily work with families who are being supported under a Child Protection Plan or have entered the PLO Process / Court Proceedings.

As a coordinator you will need to be self-motivated, dynamic and organised, with an experience and passion to help empower children and families to come together and create a family plan, to support positive change.

About you

• Experience of working in child social care or a similar setting,
• Experience of and commitment to delivering high-quality work for families, children, and young people.
• Direct experience of children and young people’s participation.
• An understanding and ability to manage groups and meetings.
• Ability to understand and manage complex family dynamics and needs of CYP.
• To be able to demonstrate a commitment to the Family Group Conference model of practice, and a knowledge and commitment to a solution focused approach.
• Ability to be flexible in your working hours, evenings and weekends may be required to meet the needs of this role.
• This is an essential car user post. You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post and must be insured for business use.
• Excellent communication skills with the confidence to engage with different partner agencies.
• Proficient use of IT packages such as Microsoft office, excel, word, MS teams, email.
• A commitment to anti-discriminatory practices in employment and service provision.
• Driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.
• A knowledge of Family Group Conferencing would be helpful and if trained, this would be advantageous.
• A knowledge of child protection procedures and the Care Proceedings process.
• A social work qualification or professional equivalent qualification. You must be registered with SW England if you are Social Worker.
• Experience of mediation, advocacy, and participation

This role requires you to be a team player, who embraces creative approaches to working with children and families. It will be important to have a positive attitude to overcome challenges and take a strengths-based approach to the role.

If you do not currently hold a Family Group Conference qualification, we will offer relevant training opportunities.

Interview date: 2nd and 3rd November (in person)

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 10. Please locate the job profile here:

Additional information

We are changing

Hertfordshire County Councilis undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visithttps://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.