Family Led Decision Making Guidance

This guidance sets out Newcastle’s approach to Family‑Led Decision Making (FLDM) across children’s services. It explains how practitioners and partners should work with children, young people, families and their wider networks to ensure families are at the centre of planning and decision‑making.

The document outlines the principles, purpose and practice of FLDM, including the use of family meetings, family network meetings, emergency family meetings and Family Group Conferences. It provides practical guidance for practitioners, managers and services on how to identify and involve family and community networks early, strengthen support around children, and reduce the need for escalation where it is safe to do so.

The guidance applies across the children’s services system and reflects a strengths‑based, inclusive and trauma‑informed approach, supporting better outcomes for children by helping them remain safely within their family and wider networks wherever possible.