ABSTRACT
In this chapter we describe the sites that were our longitudinal case studies. They are all quite different; for example, tightly bounded teams, a loosely coupled team with a specific task, and an emergent network. This chapter, as well as setting the scene for the chapters that follow, make it clear that policies for implementing inter-agency collaboration cannot be simply rolled out. The historical conditions and local aspirations of services and practitioners are central to shaping the development of new practices.
