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Integrated Working : The Background

Government Office for Yorkshire and The Humber (GOYH) facilitate a Regional Network of Integrated Working professionals from all 15 local authorities in the Region.

The group discuss common themes around embedding integrated working processes in Children's Services, including the Common Assessment Framework (CAF), eCAF, Lead Professional, ContactPoint and the Integrated Children's System.

Government Office has worked closely with supporting organisations including the Children’s Workforce Development Council, the Training and Development Agency and DCSF (through THE Improving Information Sharing And Monitoring Reg Implementation Coordinator ) who have recognised the need to raise the profile of Integrated Processes regionally and address some of the concerns arising from the Regional Network and across agencies.

The Network approach to Regional Integrated Working (IW)/CAF Approach is based around 3 priniciples:
· Supporting the promotion of resources and accountability to support IW processes
· Providing opportunities for peer group support and good practice
· Profile raising around the IW agenda
In order to support local development, as a region there are a few things underway
· We continue to support the CWDC Self Assessment programme across integrated working and workforce reform in terms of CAF and wider integrated working delivery
· We are constantly developing our approach to Peer Group Support and Good Practice by facilitating a regional network and running focus groups where needs have been identified
· Conferences form part of our attempts to raise the profile of integrated working regionally, to ensure that localities are more confident in resourcing and taking forward this area of work in accordance with local requirements.
We are gradually establishing a sense of regional collaboration on this agenda and building on what local authorities are already doing well, whilst at the same time acknowledging that in some areas and in some agencies this way of working may require a total shift in culture.

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