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Interagency collaboration
AFRC Briefing No. 21, 2011
Interagency collaboration
Part A: What is it, what does it look like, when is it needed and what supports it?
By Myfanwy McDonald and Kate Rosier
Published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, October 2011, 10 pp. ISBN 978-1-921414-77-0, ISSN 1834-2434 (Online)
Download printable version Interagency collaboration Part A (PDF 445 KB)Briefing Paper 21 comprises two papers that focus attention upon how interagency collaborations benefit children and families.1 Part A looks at what collaboration is, the benefits and risks of involving families in collaborations, when interagency collaborations are likely to be most effective and explores how they can be supported through specific models of governance. Part B investigates the evidence regarding the relationship between collaboration and improved outcomes for children and families.
Terminology
In this paper collaboration is defined as a: “means of producing something joined and new, from the interactions of people or organisations, their knowledge and resources” (ARACY, 2009). This paper focuses upon service level collaboration (rather than policy or research collaboration) amongst agencies (rather than intra-agency and interpersonal collaboration).
Part A: What is it, what does it look like, when is it needed and what supports it?
Introduction
Collaboration is a high intensity, high commitment relationship between two or more parties that results in the production of “something joined and new” (ARACY, 2009). Agencies that work with children and families are increasingly expected to work in collaboration with one another. For example, one of the requirements of the new Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) Family Support Program is that services identify and develop collaborative service delivery systems that are appropriate to their local area (FaHCSIA, 2009).
The shift towards collaboration represents an acknowledgement of the limitations of a siloed service system. Agencies that work alone (i.e., in “silos”) cannot tackle significant, intractable problems as effectively as agencies that work in collaboration. Furthermore, a siloed service system typically cannot meet the needs of families with multiple and complex problems as effectively as agencies that work in collaboration.
Authors
At the time of writing Myfanwy McDonald was the Coordinator of the Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia.
Kate Rosier is a Research Officer in the Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia
Acknowledgements
Special thanks for Jennifer Pidgeon (ARACY), Sharnee Moore and Elly Robinson for ideas, comments and suggestions.
Footnote(s)
1 Information on practical strategies to establishing interagency collaboration can be found on the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) website <www.aracy.org.au/index.cfm?pageName=advancing_collaboration_practice>