Family Group Conferencing in Ontario CAS Cases: How It Works

Court isn't the only way a plan for a child's care gets decided in Ontario's child welfare system. Many Children's Aid Societies also offer family group conferencing — a structured meeting that brings together a child's extended family and community to build a plan, often before a case reaches a courtroom, or alongside one that already has.

This guide explains what a family group conference generally is, who takes part, and how it can affect a protection case.

What Family Group Conferencing Is

It's a facilitated meeting, typically run by an independent coordinator rather than the family's own caseworker, where extended family — and sometimes close family friends or community members — work together to propose a plan for a child's care and safety.

Why a CAS Might Offer One

• To involve extended family before considering removing a child from a parent's care
• To build a plan the family itself has a hand in creating, rather than one imposed entirely through court
• To identify relatives or others who could care for a child if a parent cannot, keeping the child connected to family
• As part of exploring options before, or during, an active court proceeding

Who Can Take Part

• Parents
• Extended family — grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings
• The child, depending on age and the coordinator's assessment of what's appropriate
• Other important people in the child's life, such as a close family friend
• The independent coordinator who organizes and facilitates the meeting, and a worker from the Society

How the Process Generally Works

1. The Society or the family identifies family group conferencing as an appropriate option.
2. An independent coordinator is assigned and reaches out to identify who should be invited.
3. Family members and other participants are contacted and the meeting is scheduled.
4. Private family time — the family meets on its own to discuss and propose a plan.
5. The plan is presented back to the Society (and, where relevant, to the court).
6. The Society reviews the plan and confirms whether it addresses its protection concerns.
7. Follow-up — the plan is monitored and can be revisited if circumstances change.

What a Conference Can and Can't Do

A conference can produce a family-led plan that a Society may accept as addressing its concerns. It doesn't remove the Society's or the court's authority to make the final decision where there's an ongoing court case, and it doesn't replace a parent's right to their own legal advice and representation throughout the process.

Getting Ready for a Family Group Conference

A conference tends to go better when the family has thought ahead about what it can realistically offer. Before the meeting, it can help to:

• [ ] Talk with your lawyer about what the Society's specific concerns are, so the family plan can speak directly to them
• [ ] Think through practical questions in advance — who could provide childcare, transportation, or a temporary home if needed
• [ ] Identify family members or close family friends who should be invited, even if they live outside the immediate area
• [ ] Write down questions for the coordinator about how the process works and what happens after the plan is presented
• [ ] Keep expectations realistic — a workable plan the family can actually deliver on tends to carry more weight than an ambitious one that isn't sustainable

Why Some Families Find the Process Helpful

Unlike a courtroom, a family group conference gives relatives a direct role in shaping what happens next, rather than learning about a plan only after a judge has decided it. For families with willing and able relatives nearby, it can also surface options — such as a grandparent or aunt stepping in — that might not otherwise have come to the Society's attention early in a case.

Frequently asked questions