Multi-agency services: frequently asked questions (practitioners)

I get paid less than most other people in the multi-agency service I'm working with. It doesn't seem fair. Why don't we all get paid the same?

One of the challenges of bringing people from different backgrounds together is that, historically, professions have developed different qualifying routes and different rates of pay. Sometimes this reflects the length of time people have had to train for, or the level of skill they bring to particular situations. But this is not always the case and sometimes it can seem that you are doing the same work for different levels of pay.

There is not an easy short-term solution, but there are some things that can help. For example:

• Make sure that the things your are doing and learning are being recorded as part of your performance appraisal so that you maximise your own personal development.
  
  
• Speak to the manager/coordinator about how you feel. There may be opportunities to focus people's work more effectively according to their skills, and also for different staff to have the opportunity to 'cascade' their learning from different experiences or training programmes to colleagues.
  
  
• Find out what is going on in your home agency in response to the government's commitment to develop a common standards and qualifications route for the children's workforce - the Children's Workforce Strategy - which, over the longer term, should provide opportunities for moving up and across the workforce.

I'm missing out on my continuing professional development (CPD) while I'm working in a multi-agency team. What should I do about it?

There are a few things you can do:

• Try to keep close links with your home agency. If you are on a secondment, you may still be able to access their training programmes. Even if you have been recruited into the new service, you still may be able to join in some training or networking meetings which can help keep your skills up to date.
  
  
• Draw up a personal development plan jointly with your line manager in the multi-agency service and your supervisor in your home agency (if you have one).
  
  
• Try to make sure that all the things you are learning and doing in the new service are recorded in your performance appraisal.
  
  
• Ask about the training being offered by other services and agencies and find out whether you could access this as a way of extending your repertoire and continuing your professional development.

I feel really cut off from my home agency even though I'm only on secondment for a year. What can I do about it?

This can be difficult, particularly when you are busy finding your feet in a new service. Keep in contact with your home agency as much as you can, both socially and professionally. Some suggestions include:

• Ask your team leader if it would be possible for regular meetings with your home agency, for example once a fortnight or each month. This could take the form of feedback at staff meetings to explain how your professional and personal skills are being used within the multi-agency service and the benefits of working in this particular way.
  
  
• Attend meetings, briefings and other events being held by your home agency to keep up to date with what is happening in your field.
  
  
• Keep in touch with colleagues informally, for example by arranging a regular lunch with them and going to other staff functions.
  
  
• Check whether your line management/supervision arrangements can be changed to help you to feel more in touch.
  
  
• Make sure that you are invited to all whole-service training and events and negotiate with your team leader how many of these you can attend in a given time period.
  
  
• There may be online networks where you can talk to people about what is happening.
  
  
• Find out how colleagues are keeping in touch with what is happening in their agencies.

Other questions?

Please email us with other questions you have and we will try to find some solutions from colleagues who have been in similar situations, and post these on the site.