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Save About multi-agency panels
This model goes by a range of titles, but its key feature is that practitioners remain employed by their home agencies, agreeing to meet as a panel on a regular basis to discuss children and young people with additional needs who would benefit from multi-agency input.
Key characteristics:
- The panel is managed by a coordinator or chair. This may or may not be their full-time job.
- There is a good mix of education, health, social care and youth justice practitioners represented on the panel.
- Panel members remain based in and employed by their home agencies. They continue to 'identify' as members of these agencies, rather than as workers in a multi-agency initiative.
- Panel members get together at regular meetings (e.g. monthly or termly).
- Meetings are usually organised by the manager of the panel. Alternatively, they may be organised on an ad hoc basis, for specific cases as the need arises. In these cases they may be organised by the agency registering the concern.
- In some panels, in particular youth inclusion and support panels (YISPs), the panel is supported by a core team of key workers and administrative support. The panel members refer, discuss and plan the support on offer, while the key workers carry out the case work, sometimes supported by panel members and other services.
- Practitioners are likely to focus on individual support for the child, young person or family, though some may undertake group or whole settings work.
- They are likely to carry out joint assessment and information sharing. Some practitioners may continue to use their home agency systems.
- This type of multi-agency model goes by a range of titles, for example 'panel', 'network' or 'team around the child'.
| Benefits and opportunities | Challenges |
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There are no recruitment or human resources (HR) issues to resolve as practitioners remain employed by their home agency. Practitioners remain fully involved in what is happening in their home agency, and have access to its training and development opportunities. Practitioners have opportunity to work together regularly and get experience of different working styles and remits. Where panels are working effectively, structures and processes are in place to allocate the lead professional role, give them the authority to carry out their role, and share information as appropriate. No need to find a permanent base or IT infrastructure. |
A lack of frequent contact can make it hard to develop good partnership working which is focused on outcomes for the child rather than the contribution of individual agencies. There is a tendency for representatives to identify with their home agency rather than their role with the multi-agency panel. Panel members may not be given enough time to carry out their casework and lead professional responsibilities with the panel, particularly if these are in addition to statutory or other duties carried out in the home agency. Case planning meetings can take up a significant amount of time. |
One example of a multi-agency working panel working with a range of children and young people is a youth inclusion and support panel (YISP). If you are a YISP member or want to know more about them, click for information on the Youth Justice Board's website.
Click to go to the practitioners' toolkit or the managers' toolkit.
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Last updated on 30/04/2009
