Relationships, learning and team working in UK services for children

Purpose - This paper seeks to report on education, health, and social care practitioners' experiences of working across traditional boundaries and establishing new relationships in the context of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) in UK children's services. Design/methodology/approach - Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 20 education, health and social care practitioners, and operational managers using the qualitative methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings - The article highlights how change in the composition of teams has provided stimulus for new relationships, learning, and ways of working. Research limitations/implications - The study is based upon a relatively small number of interviews conducted within one county. Originality/value - Consideration of relationships and learning within multi-agency practice contexts is underdeveloped within the literature. As new forms of partnership may result from ongoing reconfiguration of services, this research into partnership working around the CAF offers insights and learning for future interprofessional teamworking.