ABSTRACT
The voluntary sector is potentially an equal partner with the statutory in the planning and provision of services, but the relationship between the two sectors could seldom be described as a genuine partnership. Residential homes and hostels, social work, youth centres, health education, housing, holidays, adoption, intermediate treatment and adult education, are all within the programmes of both voluntary and statutory. The Wolfenden Committee, the chief protagonist of intermediary bodies, indeed the inventor of the description, listed the main functions of local intermediary bodies as: development. Services to other organisations, liaison, and representation, and direct services to individuals. National council of voluntary child care organisations has an observer from department of health and social security social work service on its general purposes committee, whose attendance is unfailing, and royal association for disability and rehabilitation has several observers though campaign for the single homeless has none.
