Using an integrated theoretical framework for understanding inter-agency collaboration in the special educational needs field

This paper draws upon qualitative data from a study that examines inter-professional and inter-agency collaboration between education and social work authorities in assessing the special educational needs of pre-school children. It is argued that only by combining aspects of the three main models of inter-agency collaboration, namely the social exchange, power/resource dependency and political economy perspectives, is it possible to understand the complexity of inter-organizational relations and the reasons why collaboration into special educational needs continues to be limited in extent and poor in quality. It is shown how the motivation of inter-agency collaboration between education and social work authorities is simultaneously internal and voluntary (social exchange model) and external and involuntary, in terms of being imposed by a third party (political economy model). It is demonstrated how these two welfare agencies are engaging in some exchange and some power/resource dependency interactions. It is argued that it is difficult to assess the extent of interdependence (unilateral interdependence and reciprocal interdependence) in exchange relationships and, thus, whether there is symmetry and/or equality in these interactions. The internal and external factors that influence such interactions are briefly outlined in the final section.