ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the history of collaborative working across agencies and reasons why this collaboration is seen as so important. It outlines the roles of the range of people who might have an interest in supporting children who experience some sort of difficulty, and possible roles: the special educational needs and disability co-ordinator inside the school, outside agencies and so on. The chapter then discusses challenges in relation to this kind of partnership work with examples of what might be considered good practice. The SENDCo is therefore often at the very centre of collaborative working in practice and is the lynchpin drawing together the different services, and the wider community, to support the child's needs. Collaborative working means different services, agencies, teams of professionals and other staff working together to provide services that meet the needs of children, young people, and their parents or carers. Good communication is central to working with children, young people, families and carers.
