Strategic partnership working

Introduction

Partnership working is a positive method of providing services that draw upon a wide base of skills and experiences. On an individual basis, working in partnership brings together all the agencies that have come into contact with a rough sleeper (e.g. police, DAT, outreach) to find the most appropriate interventions. Case conferencing (see below) is a method of agreeing the best interventions based on service experiences for each rough sleeper. On a collective basis, effective partnership working between statutory agencies, and between statutory agencies and the voluntary sector, can have a distinctive role in tackling rough sleeping across a local area.

Formal and informal partnerships

Formal partnerships are those with protocols, terms of reference and regular meetings. Informal partnerships operate without these formal structures but are developed working relationships on an inter-agency basis. The Homeless Link good practice in tackling rough sleeping through street outreach services report shows that many agencies have successfully implemented both these approaches in order to tackle rough sleeping.

Case conferencing and tasking and targeting

Case conferences and tasking and targeting meetings bring together street outreach teams and other related agencies.

Case Conferences – these are concerned with a single individual with a focus on finding solutions to his/her rough sleeping.

Tasking and targeting – these meetings have a broader focus on street activity for a larger group of individuals.

Both these meetings have a case management approach. Group decisions are made for each individual with actions or support undertaken by all, some or one of the involved services.

Possible attendees at case conferencing or tasking and rargeting meetings include:

• police
• enforcement workers (including community wardens, and anti social behaviour team members)
• hostel managers
• local authority homelessness staff
• town centre managers
• drugs and alcohol workers
• probation officers
• health workers (especially mental health staff)

In some areas, case conferencing meetings have referral rights or influence over hostel places. Case conferences that have included hostel managers have been successful in reducing rates of eviction. ‘Reciprocal breathing space’ arrangements – where pre-emptive transfers occur between hostels – discussed in joint meetings can support difficulties within hostels which might otherwise lead to an eviction.

Barriers to effective partnership working

• Focus and aims of each stakeholder may be different and approaches to working may conflict.
• Ensuring a consistency of attendance and input at meetings (this is more challenging with larger numbers of services involved).
• Some specialists can be unwilling to accept the assessment of an outreach worker resulting in work duplication.
• Referrals into hostels can be challenging especially where outreach services and hostels are provided by separate agencies.
• Geography and logistics in rural areas can make meetings and working more difficult.
• Involving the service user(s) within partnership working meetings has been perceived as a challenge in a number of local areas.

Partnership working practices for frontline staff

These are some recommended good practice approaches for frontline staff when working in partnership with other organisations:

• Ensure staff are aware of the aims of the partnership organisation and how they can support the client.
• Maintaining contact with other support services is important to understand on-going client needs.
• Where possible, information sharing can be helpful in saving time and reducing work duplication. It is important to be aware of confidentiality issues and to explain clearly to the client what information is being shared and with whom.
• Effective throughcare, once a client is in accommodation, can aid on-going service engagement and sustainment of a tenancy. Outreach workers tend to be the staff first trusted by rough sleepers and throughcare may support some of the steps to move-on.
• If working with enforcement agencies (e.g. the police) on an outreach shift, ensure the client knows what roles both organisations have and which information will be shared. Some rough sleepers will be wary or have had negative experiences or perceptions of these agencies and may need reassurance of these services’ role.
• Referral routes between services can be beneficial when working with rough sleepers; established, formal processes can be put into place which can reduce referral times. If service level agreements are made, then named contacts, levels of information sharing and the roles each organisation will take can be agreed to offer a more effective service.

Checklist

Checklist for positive partnership working

Has the agency identified any possible networks or partnerships to develop or join?

If the organisation is developing a new network, have the right partners been identified and contacted?

Are enforcement, police and health services regularly contributing to meetings?

What are the roles of the meeting stakeholders? Can different agencies take responsibility for particular issues? Are the working styles of each service compatible? If not, can an effective compromise be reached?

Have local hostel managers been invited to contribute to meetings? Can reciprocal breathing space arrangements be developed?

How is on-going intelligence going to be recorded? Who is responsible for maintaining this material?

Can service user involvement in meetings be achieved? Does a rough sleeper have the opportunity to be at his or her own meeting or to give feedback on outcomes of meetings?

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