Developing Partnerships with Professionals

What does it look like…? Integrated working is a way of working where everyone supporting children and young people and families, works together, in a coordinated and collaborative way to effectively put the child at the centre, identify and meet their needs, and thereby improve their lives. (Children’s Workforce Development Council 2007) Collaborative relationships between organisations tend to run along a continuum, thus acknowledging that the terms used — partnership, collaboration, joint planning, working together, integrated working can differ in scope and depth (Hill 2005)

Benefits Integrated working provides benefits for children, young people and families because they receive tailor-made support in the most efficient way. early identification and intervention easier or quicker access to services or expertise improved achievement in education and better engagement in education children, young people and family’s needs addressed more appropriately better support for parents better quality services reduced need for more specialist services. (DfE 2012)

Integrated working “The development of practice will depend upon the continuous development, in action, of a common store of practical knowledge that is itself constantly open to scrutiny. Such scrutiny can only occur in a professional climate that encourages the confidence to value openness and collaboration across boundaries of profession and location so that the best interests of children are served.” (Anning and Edwards 2006 p.158)

Activity…. Watch the following video of multi-disciplinary working in practice; What do you think are the key elements of successful multi-disciplinary working? Using your own experience and what is identified in the video, identify key challenges to multi-disciplinary working

Worsley (2007) Crossing cultural boundaries Importance of sharing a common language Communication Cross team meetings – sharing knowledge ‘New comers’ and ‘old timers’ (Lave and Wenger 1991) Expectations of what working in an integrated way actually meant

Partnerships with Professionals In small groups can you think of any examples when you have successfully worked with professionals, or other colleagues within your setting? Be prepared to share your examples with the rest of the class

Presentation For your presentation you need to think of an issue in your workplace that you plan to investigate and do something about? As part of your presentation you need to think about answering the following question “How does your chosen issue relate to developing collaborative partnerships with professionals from other agencies?”

Presentation In your presentation try to be critical, in terms of how what you put into place within your setting helped to promote integrated working Also what were the challenges? Read the following article to help develop your understanding of some of the dilemmas

Any Questions?

References Anning, A. and Edwards, A. (2006) Promoting Children’s Learning from Birth to Five: Developing the New Early Years Professional. (2nd Ed.) Berkshire: Open University Press Hill M. 2005. The Public Policy Process. 4th Ed. Pearson Education: Essex Lave, J and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Worsley (2007) in Siraj-Blatchford, I. Clarke, K. and Needham, M. (2007) (Eds.) The Team Around the Child: Multi-agency Working in the Early Years Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books