Abstract

This presentation presented evaluative research of a project that addresses the needs of, and promotes the rights of, children affected by domestic violence and negative family conflict, in a large rural county in the Republic of Ireland. The case study organisation, Mayo Children’s Initiative, was established in 2009 with funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies. With a focus on prevention and children’s rights, the initiative locates much of its work in schools. This presentation draws on one aspect of the evaluation; inter-agency working. It explores how schools and other agencies can work collaboratively, in a complex social environment, to facilitate effective information sharing, co-facilitation of service delivery and development of a shared understanding and standardized approach to domestic violence and negative family conflict.
The research adopted a mixed methods design. Data was collected through questionnaires and focus groups with school children and parents, and semi-structured interviews with stakeholder professionals. This presentation will explore key findings that are transferable to a range of inter-agency practice contexts. In particular;
- The complexity of working across agencies with different priorities and approaches to responding to the issues, in relation to language used and understanding of this area of work;

- The management of complex cross-referral processes embedded in an interagency, collaborative social community approach may be effective, but there is a need for policies that enable agencies to track referrals that they receive and generate;

- There is value in having an organisation that can respond to immediate need in a way that is not mired in bureaucracy. However, such a service can be drawn on to compensate for lack of services elsewhere, when alternative provision may be more appropriate;

- Where a cross-agency network works together ensuring joint ‘ownership’, effective governance and skilful leadership, interagency working can support wider awareness-raising of children’s rights, domestic violence and negative family conflict.

This presentation will provide evidence of a range of creative ways in which services may co-ordinate and facilitate effective multi-agency working to address a complex social issue. A project of this nature can be a catalyst in bringing together agencies interested in supporting victims of domestic violence with specific reference to the needs and rights of children.