ABSTRACT
The group contracting stage is when the group discusses its overall sense of purpose together with more specific aims for review, and the question of what structures and processes need to be put in place to support these. It is important that discussion of any contractual issues is informed by the group’s understanding of its task; and, vice versa, that consideration of the group’s purpose is informed by what is possible in practical terms within any given setting. This may seem an obvious point, but it is not uncommon for groups to separate the two, invoking a list of general ideas about good practice in running groups or defining the purpose of the group in a situation, which does not, and perhaps cannot, support this purpose.
