Family & Group Decision Making Ontario
Families Making Decisions Together
an Alternative to the Traditional Court System in Ontario
Serving Adults and Children
Seeking a Way to Negotiate Their Differences
At Family & Group Decision Making Ontario we are dedicated to reaching individuals who are
looking for an alternative way of resolving conflict than the province’s traditional court system.
Family Mediation
Family mediation is an opportunity for people to negotiate their differences. The hope is for all parties to arrive at a resolution they can be satisfied with. This service is available for partners, couples going through separation, families, parents and children, and any individuals seeking a more favorable outcome to the conflict in their relationships.
Family Group Conferencing (FGC)
FGC is a prescribed method of alternative dispute resolution under the Ministry of Child and Youth (MCYS) Ontario. It is a circle-based, decision-making process for resolving disputes between a children's aid society and the family of the children who are at risk and needing protection.
Extended family and friends of the children come together to draft a Family Plan to address the child protection concerns.
The funding of MCYS supports the use of FGC if there is any contemplation of court intervention. Referrals are made by the children’s aid societies in Ontario and can be requested by family members.
New Ways for Families
This method is designed to strengthen the conflict resolution and co-parenting skills of parents during separation or divorce. New Ways for Families is designed to help courts save time, save money for parents and protect children as their families reorganize in new ways.
Additionally, this short-term coaching and counselling method focuses on parents practicing four essential conflict-reducing skills before making important decisions as well as teaching these same skills of resiliency to their children. The goal is to help parents in making their own parenting decisions out of court.
