Health, education and social care professionals' perspectives on risk and resilience in vulnerable young people and an exploration of the usefulness of this approach in promoting effective multi-agency work

• Main Author: Richford, Jill Kathleen
• Other Authors: Humphrey, Neil; Dyson, Alan
• Published: University of Manchester 2013
• Subjects: 362.7
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.576860

The Laming Report into the death of Victoria Climbie highlighted the inadequacies of inter agency collaboration and communication and subsequently led to the Every Child Matters Green Paper 2003 and Children Act 2004. Collaboration and partnership working in children’s services became central to England Labour Government thinking and policy. Children and families were to be at the heart of care planning with agencies working effectively together to ensure a coordinated and integrated service delivery. However, the complexities of multi-agency working have tended to impede effective collaboration, often leading to dysfunction and lack of coherent intervention strategies. The thesis examines the cultural and organisational difficulties of multi-agency work, and specifically, the need for a common language and framework upon which professionals can build a unified understanding of an individual in order to implement coordinated and coherent interventions. The thesis explores the concept of ‘risk,’ accompanied by the linked notion of ‘resilience,’ and considers the use of a risk and resilience framework as a possible way forward for professionals, from different agencies, to better understand a child’s needs, to compare views, share information and allow a unified strategy for intervention.The research is based on case study design and uses qualitative methodology. Findings are generated through analysis of 16 interviews, 29 questionnaires undertaken with professionals across the key children’s services associated with an inner city school, five pupil case studies and one field trial. The roles of professionals involved within the research were education and clinical psychology and psychiatry; Headteachers, teachers and non teaching staff; school nurse, counsellor and therapists; Looked After Children, family intervention, and social care practitioners.The research adds to the literature on multi-agency working and offers evidence that, despite conceptual differences amongst key children’s services professionals, there is a degree of overlap and complementary understanding. The study contributes to current research and theoretical knowledge through the exploration of a conceptual framework (the risk and resilience framework) which, when used within a school setting, appeared to unite professionals in a shared understanding of a child and proved to be productive. The key finding is that although professionals may see children differently, there is overlap and if one finds the right catalyst one can produce a shared understanding and effective educational outcomes for children.