Children’s Services: Working Together brings together contributions from a number of authors in the field. The book covers policy, theory, research and practice relevant to students and professionals working with children in a wide range of roles. The emphasis on working collaboratively with other professionals, where appropriate, and the holistic approach to children make this a valuable resource to anyone working with children today.

"Written by a multi-professional team of contributors and grounded by their experience in interprofessional work, this book relates to the rhetoric of interprofessionalism to discussions and examples of practice."--Cover.

Working Together to Safeguard Children

There is continuing emphasis on delivering services for children through 'joined up' thinking and integrated working. This fully updated new edition is an important practical resource for all professionals charged with planning, implementing and evaluating multi-professional teamwork and practice in children's services. The book investigates the reality for professionals behind the rhetoric of 'joined up' thinking and explores the perspectives of professionals about the impact of multi-agency teamwork on their professional knowledge and their ways of working. In addition it identifies dilemmas and challenges and presents exemplars of good practice. It skillfully combines theoretical perspectives, research evidence from the 'real world' of children's services and reflections on policy and practice in inter-agency services in England. Retaining its popular approach and reflecting the numerous changes to policy, practice and research the book: Exemplifies what multi-professional work looks like in practice Examines real dilemmas faced by professionals trying to make it work, and shows how these dilemmas can be resolved Considers lessons to be learnt, implications for practice and recommendations for making multi-professional practice effective As well as supportive guidance, useful theoretical frameworks and helpful evidence-based insights into practice, this new edition has been expanded to include a whole new section covering emerging themes in working together such as 'sexploitation' and children's 'front door' approaches to integrated working. Written by a multi-disciplinary writing team and without the use of unnecessary jargon, this book is a key resource for students on courses studying early childhood and families, as well as social workers, teachers, family support workers, health workers, and managers of a range of children and youth services.

This title offers a practical resource to professionals engaged with conceptualizing, planning, implementing and evaluating multi-professional teamwork and practice for delivering children's services.

Working Together for Children provides an account of the systems and processes of multi-agency work with several groups of children and their families. The key philosophy of the book is that such work is inherently complex, and only by understanding and grappling with these complexities can prospective or practising professionals within children's services contribute really effectively to multi-agency working. This second edition contains updated references to legislation and guidance underpinning multi-agency working, as well as fresh configurations of chapters to reflect new ways of categorising needs of, and organising support for, children in a variety of circumstances. New chapters are included for specific groups of children including coverage of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and youth justice. Reflection on practice, to help link policy with practice, is a theme running throughout the book, which uses features to assist the reader including: - information boxes giving further factual details of particular areas related to multi-agency working - reflective exercises including case studies - questions designed to stimulate reflection on issues raised - an appendix providing points to consider and suggestions for the exercises This introduction is for trainee practitioners in childcare or childhood related courses, education, social work, youth work and health care, or for those already working in such settings who are looking to improve their practice.