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The FGC Coordinator Is Not an Administrator — They Are the Guardian of and Manager of the Process
The Family Group Conference Coordinator role has been misunderstood for too long.
This is not a back-office administration role. It is not diary management. It is not simply arranging a room and taking notes.
The FGC Coordinator is a statutory role. Coordinators are guardians of the Family Group Conference process. They sit at the intersection of law, practice, whānau engagement, child participation, victim participation, cultural safety and interagency accountability.
A Coordinator must understand legislation, court processes, Oranga Tamariki policy, family dynamics, tikanga, facilitation, child participation, professional information-sharing, risk, safety and planning.
They prepare tamariki and rangatahi.They engage whānau.They identify who needs to be at the table.They support victims in youth justice matters.They manage professionals.They facilitate complex and emotional discussions.They ensure statutory requirements are met.They record decisions and plans.They uphold the integrity of the process.
Most importantly, they protect the space where whānau can lead.
A properly functioning FGC requires neutrality. It requires independence. It requires a Coordinator who is able to hold the process, not simply serve operational convenience.
When the role is reduced to administration, the whole process is weakened.
NUPE’s position is clear: the Coordinator role must be restored as a specialist statutory role. It must be properly sized, properly supported and properly remunerated.
Historically, Coordinators were recognised as senior. They were part of a specialist Coordinator network. They held a distinct place in the system because they were intended to be impartial, accessible to whānau, accessible to staff, and connected to community.
Over time, that status has been eroded. Restructures have absorbed Coordinators into the ordinary machinery of Oranga Tamariki.
Their unique role has been blurred. Their professional identity has been weakened. Their pay has failed to properly reflect the complexity and statutory responsibility they carry.
This must change.
If Oranga Tamariki wants high-quality FGCs, it must value the people who hold the process.
NUPE calls for:
A full review of the Coordinator role.A remuneration review and increase.National induction and certification.Ongoing professional development.Cultural supervision.Legal and practice training.Safe workloads.Dedicated administration support.A professional pathway for experienced Coordinators.
The Coordinator is not an optional extra. The Coordinator is the poutokomanawa of the FGC.
Protect the role. Restore its mana. Pay it properly.
For NUPE
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