Professionals who work with children need to be skilled in the delivery of integrated opportunities, with more specialist workers offering specialist interventions, supported by a strong, shared understanding of children's needs. But integration of the kind envisaged in the Every Child Matters green paper will mean some blurring of professional boundaries, with expertise utilised within a joint team environment. Can it be done?
Kent Council has brought health and social care services for older people under one roof in a bid to reduce hospital admissions and delayed discharges.
The approach means better outcomes for older people. Similarly, allowing councils to take the lead can make positive integration a reality in children's centres and extended schools.
For professionals, it will mean some alignment of job descriptions and working practices. And nothing is easy when you get down to details like those. We already know what the barriers will be: involving public sector agencies not integral to the proposed children's trusts; linking children's services with youth services; involving schools - not all will want to offer themselves up to the realm of full service. Professional fear will be a key barrier. Staff will be anxious about losing expertise and being taken over and managed by other services.
It's crucial we begin to address these barriers, communicating by example how they can not only be overcome but also be translated into strengths.
Barnsley also presents some lessons. Social services leads on children's services and learning difficulties, while the primary care trust leads on older people's services, disabled people and those with mental health difficulties. Both are overseen by a joint agency group. Staff are seconded between the two for training and increased understanding, but are able to retain their sector manager from their original setting. This way, staff can maintain their professional background and historical support, while evolving into a joint team environment.
Such an approach allows social care to underpin health and vice versa, improves financial security, increases career and training opportunities, and encourages an emerging can-do culture. Most importantly, there are visible benefits for the end-user.
Integration means bringing together different expertise and skills within a co-ordinated framework, not just making everyone the same. By understanding these basics we can begin to tackle change with gusto.
