Social welfare framework: Models of collaborative service delivery in child protection

There is a belief that a coordinated response to the problem of child abuse results in more effective interventions (Tomison 1999). Such co-ordination may provide more effective assessment of family needs and to provides a response that can positively affect family wellbeing and ensure the protection of children from abuse and neglect (Tomison 1997). Specifically, good coordination can lead to greater efficiency in the use of resources, improved service delivery by the avoidance of duplication and overlap between existing services; the minimisation of gaps or discontinuities in services; clarification of agency or professional roles and responsibilities in `frontier problems' and demarcation disputes; and the delivery of comprehensive services (Hallett & Birchall, 1992).