ABSTRACT
In 1989, two major pieces of child care legislation were completed on opposite sides of the world: the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act was enacted in New Zealand; and the Children Act was passed in England and Wales. The result was the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act of 1989. This Act placed at the centre of its decision-making powers, the Family Group Conference which took the place of the child protection team in the original Bill. The family and state are seen as working in partnership to achieve the best outcome for the children, with the families given the primary responsibility for caring for their children and ensuring a sense of identity, through having a central role in decision-making, whatever their culpability. The essence of a Family Group Conference is a process for placing the responsibility and the decision-making powers regarding child care matters back with the family.
