Family Group Conferencing in Coercive Psychiatry: On Forming Partnership Between the Client, Social Networks and Professionals

Family Group Conferencing is a new decision model to assign caring responsibilities among various actors in society, including the client, social networks, and professionals. The process of Family Group Conferencing in coercive psychiatry is delicate; nevertheless, it paves the way for courageous conversation, and it facilitates ownership over the problematic situation and the formation of a partnership. Different actors co-construct an open and new actuality by taking initiative during and after the Family Group Conference, by confronting each other; by sharing information about the situation and so forming a partnership. Family Group Conferencing requires a change in thinking and doing of mental health professionals that is close to nursing; instead of focusing on the treatment of individual clients, they support primary groups to deal with the situation at hand.