Family Group Conference in Sri Lanka: A Manual for Trainers and Practitioners

In 2006-2008, The Family Group Conferencing (FGC) was introduced to the governmental childcare structure in Sri Lanka Tsunami response in the Southern Province. As stated in the manual, “the simplicity of the approach and the compatibility of the core concepts of the approach with the culture and context of Sri Lanka made FGC a widely used practice in the Southern Province where it was piloted”. As a result, after 2008, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services (DPCCS) initiated the training of Child Rights Promotion Officers (CRPOs) and Probation Officer (POs) in other provinces in country as a part of their wish to mainstream FGC in Sri Lanka.
Key objectives of the manual are to:
1. Provide a basic understanding of the Family Group Conference (FGCs) model and its background;
2. Introduce a more culturally relevant and practical version of the overall FGC process that suits the context in Sri Lanka;
3. Enable child protection practitioners to effectively facilitate FGCs and develop relevant practical skills;
4. Support trainings and awareness-raising activities related to FGC;
5. Provide some of the key forms and supporting documents recommended for the practice of FGC.
The manual is organised into these three main sections:
i. General Information for Stakeholders, Trainers and Practitioners;
ii. Guidance for FGC Facilitation for Trainers and Practitioners; and
iii. Tools and Supportive Information.