Setting up multi-agency services
Multi-agency working has been shown to be an effective way of supporting children and young people with additional needs, and securing real improvements in their life outcomes.
There are a number of ways of delivering multi-agency services. Our review of practice suggested that there were three broad models:
Not all services will fit one of the models exactly - there are no hard and fast rules about how multi-agency services should be set up, and there may be some differences on the ground. If you are not sure which one best applies to your service, use the links above to decide which model is most relevant.
This online resource is for frontline managers and practitioners, in a range of settings, who are starting to work with children and families in these new ways. It includes both general considerations of multi-agency services as well as elements that are specific to the three service delivery models. Note that this resource does not address informal methods of multi-agency collaboration.
Online toolkits for practitioners and managers
For practitioners starting to work in multi-agency settings, we have provided a
practitioners'
toolkit.
For managers involved in setting up and managing multi-agency services we have
provided a managers'
toolkit. (Note that in this revised resource there is now a single toolkit
for managers.)
Before you look at the toolkits, you may want to read about the benefits of multi-agency working.
We have also provided a checklist of the success factors for multi-agency working.
You might also want to look at our information on working with other agencies.
Downloads
A factsheet on multi-agency working is available as part of the set of integrated
working factsheets.
Multi-agency
working: frequently asked questions (September 2007)
This page was last updated on 30 July 2008
