Better together? Cooperation between youth welfare office and child and adolescent psychiatry: A methodological approach. (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mack, Judith; Wanderer, Sina; Keitel, Janin; Bittner, Jana; Herrmann, Elisabeth; Ehrlich, Stefan; Roessner, Veit
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 79(2017:Aug.)
• Page Start: 44
• Page End: 49
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: Cross-institutional cooperation -- Youth Welfare Office -- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry -- Mental health -- Health care -- Social services; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.05.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Abstract: Previous international literature describes a lack of systematic research about cross-institutional cooperation in social and health services although the need is indicated. More and more children and adolescents have complex psychosocial needs. Thus, they require help from different institutions and professions to receive optimal care. However, there is a great need of improvement of the cooperation between institutions in social (e.g. Youth Welfare Office) and health services (e.g. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP), even in Germany. Therefore, an official Agreement of Cooperation (AoC) between these institutions was implemented as a first attempt to enhance and structure cross-institutional work in Dresden, Germany. This methodological paper describes the corresponding evaluation project that includes cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments. It thereby focuses on the employees' and families' satisfaction as well as the psychosocial development and mental health of children at the intersection of the aforementioned institutions before and after the implementation of the AoC. In addition, it gives a review of literature about cross-institutional work. Highlights: Cross-institutional work between social and health services urgently needs improvement. Various countries stated difficulties regarding sufficient cross-institutional work. There is a lack of reliable solutions, cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluation. We present a methodological broad approach to evaluate cross-institutional work.