Collaboration in Child Welfare: What Should Practitioners Expect from Themselves?

Abstract

In the child welfare context, collaboration between services and individual professionals has become a legislative and policy requirement because, it is argued, 'working together' ensures that vulnerable children get the assistance they need when it is needed (Council of Australian Governments, 2009). But what does the creation of a collaborative culture really entail, and what might this mean for practitioners? If the social conditions are right, effective collaboration is possible. However, factors such as professional rivalry, organisational cultures and history, individual fear, insecurities and emotional distress can impede the process. Inspired by Australian research that explored the emotional dynamics involved in child welfare practice, this paper draws attention to the personal effort involved in building collaborative relationships and raises the question of what practitioners should expect from themselves in the process of developing a collaborative culture. Ten practice points are offered for assisting practitioners to maintain collaboration as a realistic practice objective.