Interprofessional collaboration with young people in residential care: some professional perspectives

The article discusses interprofessional collaboration with young people experiencing psychosocial problems living in residential care in Norway. The professionals involved (n = 23) were social workers, psychologists, teachers, doctors/psychiatrists, unqualified graduates and other staff. The aim was to explore the professionals' contributions and grasp a sense of the wholeness of the collaboration process. A grounded theory approach was applied. During the analysis five categories emerged regarding professionals contributions; knowledge of own and others' agency/service, problem perception, priority, commitment and space for action. Three categories emerged regarding interprofessional interaction; building networks, developing trust and using flexibility. The core category was identified as 'readiness to act'. The findings show an apparent contradiction between health and social policy that encourages the standardisation of services and responding flexibly to the needs of young people for 'tailor made' solutions through access to a range of services. A further finding was extensive use of flexibility and willingness to go beyond boundaries leading to the distinction between routinized and radical coordination.