Learning in and for interagency working: making links between practice development and structured reflection

Abstract

This article describes a large national research project that followed a range of multi‐agency teams, within newly formed Children's Services in England, as they began to change and develop as a result of national and local policy changes. As the title suggests, the focus of the research was to observe the learning that was taking place and to offer approaches to facilitate the group learning. The approach is novel in that it employed a specific theoretical approach to the work; namely, the use of cultural–historical activity theory (CHAT), to analyse what was happening in the research sites and to structure and facilitate the intervention workshops. The findings reflect what was happening within teams, at individual, group and systemic levels. They also add to the body of knowledge that is accumulating in the application of activity theoretical approaches to work‐place learning. Some of the findings are expanded to offer suggestions for similar teams to consider as they make transitions within ever‐changing, expanding Children's Services. These include recommendations for professionals regarding the child and the wider context, aspects of professional role and focus of work, developing new tools, reconsidering existing rules, and examining values and pedagogic approaches in the work‐place.

The challenge of change: Using activity theory to understand a cultural innovation

“…CHAT analysis and activity theory frameworks have been used to explore other organisational wide initiatives (Baird 2009;Davies et al 2008;Karasavvidis 2009;Leadbetter 2008). However, interestingly, few studies appear to explore the tensions between internal and externally imposed rules on the change process, although Engeström (2009) recognised outside elements can create conflict and ''aggravated secondary contradiction where some old element …collides with the new one'' (p. 57).…”

Reimagining a School – University Partnership: The Development of the Oxford Education Deanery Narrative

“…While we are familiar with the notion of inter-professional working between, for example, teachers and educational psychologists (Leadbetter 2008) or teachers and welfare professionals Edwards et al 2010;Glenny and Roaf 2008), relationships between the university-based and school-based elements in ITE have only just begun to be thought of in this way (e.g. Waitoller and Kozleski 2013).…”

Partnership working in services for children: Use of the common assessment framework

“…Alongside new team formations and performance measures, these epitomize co-configuration work in the development of flexible and responsive services (Leadbetter, 2008). Victor and Boynton (1998) used the term "coconfiguration" to describe practices which have transpired and continue to evolve within multi-agency settings.…”