ABSTRACT

Amongst the major shifts in child welfare in recent decades has been the growth and development of multi-disciplinary work with children and young people. This chapter explores these developments within a global context – whilst giving examples primarily from the United Kingdom. It argues that this shift is part of a global development – which extends beyond child welfare, and explores the drivers behind the emphasis on multi-disciplinary working. A further driver of change has been the intractability of social problems – often referred to as 'wicked problems'. The chapter explores three drivers of networking: information and communications technology, 'wicked problems' and the complex division of labour and the drivers of increased networking with child welfare in particular. The child is a 'whole child’; they live their life holistically and experience all aspects of their life as inter-related. Child welfare professionals are very familiar with the concept of 'outcomes' and working towards these.