Policy overview

Conceptualising and Facilitating Success in Interagency Collaborations: Implications for Practice from the Literature

“…However, research repeatedly cites a number of themes as being both the impetus for and result of collaborative initiatives between agencies providing services to children and families. Successful interagency collaboration is credited with facilitating increased (effective and efficient) client access to resources, and reducing the impact of otherwise fragmented service delivery systems, which can cause clients to ‘fall between the cracks’ as they attempt to move from one agency to the next (Horwath & Morrison, 2011; Leathard, 2003; Woodland & Hutton, 2012). In a similar vein, overlap or replication between different agencies in their service definitions — resulting in wasted efforts and resources as agencies inadvertently provide the same services to the same clients — can be minimised or eliminated.…”

“…In a similar vein, overlap or replication between different agencies in their service definitions — resulting in wasted efforts and resources as agencies inadvertently provide the same services to the same clients — can be minimised or eliminated. For example, collaboration between agencies can result in reduced duplication of services to clients (Bradshaw, 1997; Leathard, 2003). Further benefits of interagency collaboration appearing in the literature can be summarised as follows (Grace, Coventry, & Batterham, 2012; Horwath & Morrison, 2011; Leathard, 2003; Nicholson, Artz, Armitage, & Fagan, 2000; Polivka, Kennedy, & Chaudry, 1997): better decision making among those involved in service delivery; increased quality of case monitoring and support; improved and more timely provision of needed resources; more effective use of limited resources; reduction of competing or otherwise overwhelming agency demands on a family; ensuring a consistent message is presented; comprehensive and coordinated client care; increased efficiencies in the administration and delivery of services, including the co- development of new policy and practice; reduced anxiety for agency workers/practitioners. …”

“…However, in the absence of clear markers to operationalise these ideals, objectively managing-for (and in turn measuring) this clearly desirable state is problematic. Collaboration theory, too, offers us another lens through which to examine the development of an interagency partnership, identify preconditions for collaboration, recognise predictable challenges, and evaluate progress (Leathard, 2003). For instance, studies examining the lifespan of collaborative initiatives have found that the process of establishing an interagency collaboration is developmental and incremental (McLaughlin & Covert, 1984; Sheridan et al, 2009; Woodland & Hutton, 2012), though perhaps more akin to a spiral than a straight line (Bradshaw, 1997), as partners balance their long-term goals with flexibility to respond to and manage change.…”

“…However, some literature suggests interagency collaborations may not be the panacea for service delivery and support to at-risk child populations that they are currently portrayed as, and that elements of organisation and administration, and even mismatch or misunderstanding of collaborative goals between participating agencies, may actually be detrimental to — or even unintentionally excluding of — those they are aiming serve (Hodges, Ferreira, Mowery, & Novicki, 2013; Leathard, 2003). For instance, Knight, Knight, and Teghe (2007) highlight the apparent variation in how different community agencies define behavioural and emotional issues, and how each use these definitions to establish their own service eligibility criteria.…”

“…However, conflict itself in an interagency-collaboration context may simultaneously present us with a useable catalyst for change (Leathard, 2003; Woodland & Hutton, 2012). For instance, discrepancies between existing and desired conditions can lead to modifications that will actually improve the collaborative effort (Idol et al, 2000; McLaughlin & Covert, 1984).…”