KAKO ZAKONSKI REGULIRATI OBITELJSKU GRUPNU KONFERENCIJU U HRVATSKOJ?

Abstract

HOW TO REGULATE THE FAMILY GROUP CONFERENCE IN CROATIA Taking into account the proclaimed aim of the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy 2019 − 2021, namely, social empowerment and protection of families, children and young people through enhancing family protection and supporting families at risk as a preventive measure of institutionalisation, this paper seeks to discuss the question of how law and legal forms can be used to strengthen families at risk, activate their resources, create a family group network and plan to address family law conflicts of interest and problems. This is done through determining and analysing the procedure and principles of a family group conference, as an alternative to the administrative and/or judicial one in matters of family law and social protection of children and families. For the purpose of reflection and projection, de lege ferenda, on the family group conference in the field of (administrative and judicial) family law and social protection of family members in Croatia, the New Zealand family group conference model, as a starting point for the development of this procedure, and certain European comparative law systems and good practices (the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway) are analysed and discussed in the paper. In particular, open questions about the »right« to the family group conference, the assessment and criteria for referring family members to the conference, including the fact of initiation of the court procedure or if the proceedings are already pending, as well as the legal force or effectiveness of the plans achieved in the family group conference will be discussed. Key words: family group conference; child, family; social welfare center; court