Standard 4: Relationships & Partnership Working

List the key features of effective partnership working – these may be different for different types of partnerships.

Effective partnership working involves two or more groups coming together to achieve a common aim or purpose. The benefits include pooled resources, sharing of expertise and responsibility/power. For it to work there must be mutual respect and understanding between the partners and a level of trust.

Consider how you might strengthen those networks.

Partnerships can be strengthened by sharing information, knowledge and expertise as well as each party being trustworthy and reliable. Over time, these bonds should improve. Regular meetings and communication between all parties is also essential for partnership working to be successful.

Consider how you might measure the effectiveness of these relationships – what you need to do, who needs to be involved and how often.

As stated above regular communication is paramount for effective partnership working. Representatives from each party should meet regularly to discuss ideas and progress. Ideally, these would be the same representatives each time. Efficacy should be measured by the outcomes that that are produced, which should be in line with the initial goals agreed by all parties.

What can help them to maintain their involvement or achieve their goals? Together with the
individual identify one or two links which might be developed to add value to their life. Identify in
particular how this partnership might ensure better outcomes for the individual. Reflect on how
you might encourage those links further and what you might need to put into practice to support
and maintain them.

I work with a client that was quite lonely and expressed that he wanted to have friends and a girlfriend, however he seldom left the house and therefore never had the opportunities to meet people.

I spoke to the client several times to explain that the only way to meet people that could become friends would be to go out and join local groups or take part in activities. Then we researched various activities in the local area that he could try out to see if he liked them.

Over a period of several weeks, we went to several activities, most of which he didn’t like but there were some he enjoyed and so he continued to participate. These were two local discos for people with learning disabilities and a games night (darts, pool etc.) This resulted in a partnership between the client, his staff and the activity organisers.

Over time, he made friends and eventually got himself a girlfriend. This resulted in further partnership links between his staff team and his friends/girlfriend’s staff teams.