Identify barriers and opportunities in working in multi-agency fashion
Introduction
This report focuses some of the current literature addressing multi-agency working including issues relating to collaborative and multi-agency working primarily between Education, Social Services and Health. The rationale for multi-agency work, different types and models of multi-agency working and the factors which may impede or facilitate its effectiveness are considered
There has been volume of literature written on multi-agency collaboration and each studies have tried to present different opinion including the advantages and drawbacks in working in multi-agency fashion. It is a common knowledge that the case for treating social problems in a holistic fashion is overwhelming. People know, in a simple everyday fashion, that crime, poverty, low achievement at school, bad housing and so on are connected. Therefore, multi-agency collaboration is essential to correct some social problems that seems difficult for one social arm of the social agency to cure.
Working in collaboration is essential if individuals are to be offered the range of support they require in a timely manner. Multi-agency working is about providing a seamless response to individuals with multiple and complex needs. In other words, Multi-agency working is about different services, agencies and teams of professionals and other practitioners working together to provide services that fully meet the needs of children, young people and their parents or carers. This could be as part of a multidisciplinary team or on an ad hoc basis.
Effective working of multi-agency required each member to be clear about their role and responsibilities, and understand the different structures and governance of colleagues from other sectors, including the private and voluntary sectors, micro and direct employers, service user led organisations and brokers assisting with support planning. Working across these boundaries is...