AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE INTER-AGENCY WORKING AUSTRALIA & AMERICA JULIE LAWRENCE LECTURER IN SOCIAL WORK 14 September 2010 Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review 1

INTERAGENCY RESEARCH Australia (Victoria) Comparable with similar services developed in the United States of America (Connecticut) during the 1990s 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review2

THE INTENSIVE FAMILY PRESERVATION SERVICES (FAMILIES FIRST) An Evaluation of the Pilot Programme (2002) Funded by the Department of Health and Community Services, Victoria Examined Issues in collaboration with other agencies A Child Protection Service & Family Support Services (Fostering) 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review3

FAMILIES FIRST Voluntary family support services Small Pilot Programme Two family workers, a supervisor, and an office manager Referrals of children at imminent risk Avoidance of worst case scenarios 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review4

FAMILIES FIRST SPECIALIST SERVICES Has a therapeutic core to the work Health & disability programmes Substance Misuse Counsellors Psychiatric Services Available 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review5

Interagency Relations and the Front-Line Worker Wimpfheimer et al (1990) offer some principles for collaborative work. Pre-conditions for successful collaboration… Mutuality & Timing Authority Influence & Creativity 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review6

Interagency Relations… These preconditions frame the experience of the front-line worker. Often these workers... Receive & make Referrals Act as advocates for the deployment of resources Interpret policies & Discover unmet needs Build or sabotage an interagency climate 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review7

Social Work Task Force (England) Social Workers must play a leading role in keeping adults and children safe and thriving but cannot act successfully on their own: they rely on cooperation and action by other agencies and professions (2009:62) 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review8

METHODS Efforts made to explore the experience of front-line workers in interagency work First 18 months dealt with 32 families Case records were analysed Interviews with Families First caseworker and Protective Services Workers 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review9

METHODS Group and individual discussions with managers and caseworkers – service system issues Local service providers in other agencies were interviewed Arrival and performance of Families First Invited to stakeholder meetings Conclusions from the evaluation were shared at the end of the study period. 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review10

Families First (Specialist Agency) Voluntary Agency Child Protection Service Spanning the boundaries: Issues of Collaboration Linked Fostering Service 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review 11

Families First What Worked Well 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review12

What Worked Well… At policy Level both the Government and non- Government worked in Collaboration Development of interagency philosophy – a shared focus Planning for Staffing & Training Establishing a framework for Evaluation Both staff groups receptive to training A senior link person appointed - referrals 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review13

What Difficulties were Experienced… Referral Rates varied from across the service area Some workers made over-enthusiastic referrals – before the nature of risk was identified Some CPS workers felt stuck with hard cases Professional judgements came into question about assessment recommendations from the CPS and whether the IFPS was appropriate 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review14

Added Difficulties… Families First workers struggled to develop an identity recognisably different Raised expectations by families Refusal of children/young people to cooperate Marriage & relationship referrals remained unfulfilled 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review15

Analysis & Implications These observations echoed the report noted from the U.S.A. experience Greater emphasis needed upon relations with other family support services (fostering) Families do not perceive themselves to be hemmed in by collusive professionals 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review16

Analysis Cont… The Stayers: chronically troubled families… IFPS has a role in terms of offering families hope – the surprise of discovering new skills and resources IFPS has a distinctive focus for a brief period of service IFPS is emotionally charged work – antagonism can flare up between agencies 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review17

In Summary… A continuing struggle about separateness and the articulation of protective goals. The establishment and maintenance of these common goals while allowing differentiation of means Attention to risk and purpose suggests questions the referring CPW and the receiving IFPS worker might ask themselves and each other! 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review18

BIBLIOGRAPHY Campbell, L. (2002) Interagency Practice in Intensive Family Preservation Services. Children & Youth Services Review Vol.24 (9/10) pp Department of Health (2009) Social Work Task Force: Building a safe, confident future. London: The Stationery Office. Fraser, M. Pecors, P. Haapala, D. (1991) Families in crisis: The impact of intensive family preservation services. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. 14 September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review19

BIBLIOGRAPHY Lindsey, D. (1994) Family preservation and child protection: Striking a balance. Children and Youth Services Review 16, pp Scott, D. (1993) Inter-agency collaboration: Why is it so difficult? Can we do it better? Children, Australia (18) pp4-9. Wimpfheimer, R. Bloom, M. Kramer, M. (1990) inter-agency collaboration: Some working principles. Administration in Social Work 14, September 2010Julie Lawrence (PhD) Literature Review20