What is integrated working?

Integrated working is where everyone supporting children and young people, work together effectively to put the child at the centre, meet their needs and improve their lives.

Using integrated working, practitioners can:

• identify needs earlier
• deliver a coordinated package of support that is centred on the child or young person, and
• help to secure better outcomes for them.

They do this by combining practitioners' professional expertise, knowledge and skills and involving the child or young person and family throughout their work.

Integrated working is achieved through collaboration and co-ordination at all levels, across all services, in both single and multi-agency settings. It requires clear and ongoing leadership and management. At an operational level, it is facilitated by adopting common service delivery models, tools and processes.

New and updated fact-sheets on the elements of integrated working

We have published four updated and two new fact-sheets on the different elements of integrated working:

• Integrated working overview
• Lead professional
• Common Assessment Framework
• Information sharing
• Leading integrated working (NEW)
• Common Core (NEW)

The factsheets are available to download on the Every Child Matters website.

Common language

We have been working together with DCSF to agree a set of definitions for the most commonly used language in the children's workforce.  Please find the glossary below.

Common language glossary [word - 626 KB]