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Family Councils Foundations Program, Module 4: Terms of Reference & Code of Conduct | Family Councils Ontario

Written by Family Councils Ontario | Oct 5, 2026, 3:37:00 PM

How Terms of Reference and a Code of Conduct help family councils stay organized, accountable, and sustainable, with a quiz and certificate of completion.

Overview

Strong family councils are built on clear agreements about how they work. Module 4 walks you through the two documents that make that possible.

Module 4 builds on the foundations developed in Modules 1, 2, and 3 by focusing on the practical documents that help family councils stay organized, accountable, and sustainable over time. It explores how Terms of Reference and Codes of Conduct support decision-making, confidentiality, trust, and effective collaboration.

The Family Councils Foundations Program supports family members and partners in care as they learn about family councils and their important role in long-term care homes. The program is about learning and building understanding. It is not a test, and you do not need to know everything to take part in a family council.

What you will learn

  • Why Terms of Reference and a Code of Conduct matter
  • What goes inside a Terms of Reference
  • How to draft Terms of Reference for your council
  • The essentials of a Code of Conduct
  • How to keep these as living documents and protect confidentiality

Inside the course

  1. Family Councils Foundations Program Overview & Module Orientation
  2. Why These Documents Matter
  3. Inside a Terms of Reference
  4. Drafting Your Terms of Reference
  5. Code of Conduct Essentials
  6. Living Documents & Confidentiality
  7. Module Summary & Close
  8. Quiz Results & Certificate of Completion

Who this course is for

  • New councils writing their first governing documents
  • Established councils reviewing or updating their Terms of Reference
  • Council executives responsible for governance and confidentiality

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Course at a glance

FormatOnline eLearning
Lessons8
PaceSelf-paced
CostFree
LanguageEnglish
AuthorFCO
CertificateIncluded
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