Ask the Expert: Multi-agency working

How can we deliver effective multi-agency working while agencies are under pressure to reduce spending and meet their own objectives?

At times of cutbacks, it is easy for the differences between agencies and professions to become amplified and promote disagreement.

Arrange a series of regular short meetings where staff from different professions can work together on understanding their different disciplines, and the stereotypes they hold about each other. This can be humorous and lighthearted, but it deals openly with the different roles, responsibilities and stances taken when working on cases together. 

Having dealt with the differences, introduce regular debriefs about shared cases, the successes and those where there have been difficulties.

Multi-agency work is effective and powerful. It can save time and money. But it requires regular maintenance. It is about understanding, valuing and supporting different professional contributions, and – for the sake of children and families – delivering clear, consistent messages and not duplicating processes.

Answered by Paul Clark, director of the Potential Organisation. He was director of children’s services in Harrow for seven years