ABSTRACT
The current moment of children’s public sector integration has been described as a ‘paradigm shift’ (Grek, Ozga and Lawn 2009) from the preceding period characterized by inter/professional and interagency working (Hartley 2009). Integration cuts across governance, practices and knowledge bases of children’s services and agencies, and concepts are needed to analyse the ways these cross-cutting trajectories operate – or conversely, do not. The following analytical distinctions are relevant here (Percy-Smith 2005: 24-5):
holistic government or governance – integration and coordination at all levels and in relation to all aspects of policy-related activity – policy making, regulation, service provision and scrutiny;
cross-boundary working – agencies working together on areas that extend beyond the scope of any one agency;
cross-cutting – issues that are not the ‘property’ of a single organization or agency – e.g., social inclusion, improving health;
integration – agencies working together in a single, often new, organizational structure.
