Barriers to collaboration between health care, social services and schools

BACKGROUND: It is essential for professionals from different organizations to collaborate when handling matters concerning children, adolescents, and their families in order to enable society to provide health care and social services from a comprehensive approach. OBJECTIVE: This paper reports perceptions of obstacles to collaboration among professionals in health care (county council), social services (municipality), and schools in an administrative district of the city of Stockholm, Sweden. METHODS: Data were collected in focus group interviews with unit managers and personnel. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Our results show that allocation of responsibilities, confidence and the professional encounter were areas where barriers to collaboration occurred, mainly depending on a lack of clarity. The responsibility for collaboration fell largely on the professionals and we found that shared responsibility of managers from different organizations is a crucial factor affecting successful collaboration. We conclude that a holding environment, as a social context that facilitates sense making, and a committed management would support these professionals in their efforts to collaborate.