Family group conferences: from Maori culture to decision-making model in work with late modern families in Norway^†

† The research was conducted at Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare at the University of Tromsø, Norway. All persons who have a claim to authorship are named as co-authors. The order of names are agreed by all authors. The first author is corresponding author. The corresponding author is authorized by co-authors to act as an agent on their behalf in all matters pertaining to publication of the manuscript.

Abstract

Models and methods within social work and child protection services are disseminated across cultural and national borders. The family group conference (FGC), with its origins in traditional Maori culture, is one example of this. The application of this model presupposes an ‘extended family’. Based on sociological theory, we highlight and problematise the explicit inattention to relevant cultural differences. The assumed existence of the extended family is implied in the direct translation of the term. The family in late modern society is often described as diversified, elective and shifting. We argue that FGC is relevant to such families. In our conclusion, we point out that despite changes, the family remains associated with traditional family values as solidarity and joint obligations, responsibilities and continuity. FGC vitalise traditional family values and facilitate for modern families performing traditional family practices. From our exploration of discourses and analyses on how FGC may be transformed from supporting Maori traditional culture to become a decision model in a CPS of a society such as Norway, we find there is a compliance with two fundamental factors: the late modern family's negotiating practices and the revitalisation of traditional family values.

Modeller og metoder innen sosialt arbeid og barnevern formidles på tvers av kulturelle og nasjonale grenser. Familieråd (FR), med sin opprinnelse i tradisjonell maorikultur, er ett eksempel på dette. Anvendelsen av denne modellen forutsetter en ‘utvidet familie’. Basert på sosiologisk teori, vil vi problematisere at oppmerksomhet mot relevante kulturelle forskjeller mangler. Eksistensen av utvidet familie forutsettes i den direkte oversettelsen av begrepet i bruk av FR. Familien i senmoderne samfunn blir ofte beskrevet som valgt, sammensatt og skiftende. Vi diskuterer hvordan FR kan være relevant også for den senmoderne familie. I vår konklusjon peker vi på at til tross for betydelige endringer, er familie fortsatt forbundet med tradisjonelle familieverdier som solidaritet og felles forpliktelser, ansvar og kontinuitet. FR vitaliserer tradisjonelle familieverdier og tilrettelegger for tradisjonelle familiepraksis. I vår utforskning av hvordan FR med røtter i Maorikultur blir en beslutningsmodell innen barnevern i Norge, finner vi at det er et samsvar med to grunnleggende faktorer: Den senmoderne familiens forhandlingspraksis og revitalisering av tradisjonelle familieverdier.

Keywords:

• extended family
• child protection
• culture
• family group conference

Nøkkelord:

• Utvidet familie
• barnevern
• kultur
• Familieråd

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Associate Professor Renee Thørnblad, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, has a PhD in sociology. Her research concerns child protection, children's involvement, parenthood, kinship and foster care.

Associate Professor Astrid Strandbu is a researcher and teacher at the UiT, The Arctic University of Norway. She gives supervision to students at the Master study of child protection and to PhD- students. Her interests in research are childhood, adolescence and parenthood in contemporary society and children's participation in decision making in child protection and mediation.

Professor Amy Holtan, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, has a PhD in sociology. Her research concerns child protection, child welfare, children's involvement, family issues, kinship and foster care

Toril Jenssen is Professor at the University of Tromsø. After studies in interdisciplinary social sciences she was employed as an Associate Professor in social pedagogy at the University College of Finnmark for many years. Her Research interests are youth and gender research, visual anthropology/dissemination/research ethics, welfare state and health- and social service research. Currently she is doing research in the field of child welfare services.

Notes

† The research was conducted at Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare at the University of Tromsø, Norway. All persons who have a claim to authorship are named as co-authors. The order of names are agreed by all authors. The first author is corresponding author. The corresponding author is authorized by co-authors to act as an agent on their behalf in all matters pertaining to publication of the manuscript.