Relationships with other professionals

Teachers and support staff are increasingly working with other professionals in multi-agency teams.

The focus of these teams are the ‘whole’ child and that is driven by the Every Child Matters agenda and its five aims that every child should:

• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Enjoy economic well-being.

School staff need to have good relationships with other practitioners such as social workers, nurses, GPs and educational psychologists. This may mean building knowledge and trust through joint training or working, or encouraging others to support what the school is doing in areas. Schools will also be working towards the Every Child Matters outcomes through:

• Common processes, including the Common Assessment Framework and the new information sharing index 
• Partnership working with a wide cross-section of organisations and people, eg the children's trust, parents and the wider community, voluntary groups and the private sector.   

These groups will be expected to work together using various tools that the government has developed to support integrated working. 

• Information sharing 
Multi-agency teams are expected to develop a framework for information sharing and follow guidance on when, why and how they can share information
• Common Assessment Framework for Children and Young People 
Practitioners need to assess children's additional needs for services earlier and more effectively, develop a common understanding and agree a process for working together.  The CAF is a standardised approach to conducting an assessment of a child's additional needs and deciding how those needs should be met.
• Lead professional 
The function of the lead professional is to ensure cohesive and coordinated services for children and young people where integrated support from more than one practitioner is needed.  This role can often be filled by an education professional.
• Common Core of Skills and Knowledge 
A specification of the skills and knowledge required by practitioners who work with children and young people.
• Information sharing index 
The national information sharing index will enable practitioners delivering services to children to identify and contact one another easily and quickly, so they can share relevant information about children who need services. This is due to be implemented across all areas of England by the end of 2008.
• Information sharing and assessment update 
Regular newsletter providing updates on the information sharing and assessment work programme.

Help and support 
For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000) or Belfast office (02890 327 990) or email info@atl.org.uk.

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time).

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