34 overseas speakers booked for International Conference on the Family Group Conference

Preparations for the 2006 International Conference on the Family Group Conference (26-29 November) are well under way. Registrations close 31 October 2006.

“We are offering an exciting programme of dynamic and prestigious speakers, including 34 from overseas,” said Shannon Pakura, Child, Youth and Family’s General Manager Service Development.

An exciting new addition to the workshop programme is Daniel Bogue, Director of Prevention and Early Intervention Services and a faculty member of the Family Therapy Training Program at the George Hull Centre in Toronto, Canada. Daniel will be discussing the Family Group Conferencing Project of Toronto, as well as reviewing significant events that have occurred within child protection services in Ontario and describing how they have recently come together.

The family group conference model was conceived 18 years ago in New Zealand, as a family decision-making process used in the statutory child welfare and youth justice system. It has been adopted in many Western jurisdictions (Ireland, Canada, UK, Australia and the Netherlands to name a few).

The conference, entitled ‘Coming Home – Te Hokinga Mai’, is to be held at the Wellington Town Hall. It is a unique opportunity to examine how the family group conference model is working both in New Zealand and overseas. With more than 60 speakers showcasing innovations and research, including 34 speakers from overseas, it is a learning and networking opportunity not to be missed.

Confirmed speakers include Justice Eddie Durie, Professor Gale Burford of the University of Vermont’s Department of Social Work, Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier, Chief Social Worker Dr Marie Connolly, The Children’s Commissioner Cindy Kiro, Jane Wiffin, a leading UK practitioner in child protection, NZ lawyer Donna Hall, and Dr Joe Crumbley, an international expert on kinship care. Visit http://www.cyf.govt.nz/2753.htm to register and to view the full list of speakers and abstracts.