Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Page 55

Working with Various Client Groups
It is in working across processes and systems where professionals and
social administrators can play a role in making collaborations and shifting
of perspectives possible in order to make integrated services a reality.
Collaborations happen when there is experimentation in processes and
systems. Integrated service can happen when we adopt a more usercentric perspective and re-deploy resources in systems. We begin to bring
about integration when we are prepared to share “power and control
over processes and systems” and help these to adapt to respond better
especially to complex needs.

Practical Perspective on Coordination
Every forum, platform and consultation asks for coordination. Coordination
that is highly dependent on a relevant one-stop service centre, be it physical
or virtual, will involve high cost and will be manpower intensive. This would
make such a vision unattainable. So what is a practical and sustainable
approach to coordination? The objective to achieve access to services must
therefore be that individuals and agencies who are able to navigate the
system themselves. This will mean a more direct access to appropriate help.
This is possible in most instances where information is fairly readily accessible
and the way to get the help is fairly straight forward even though one needs
to manage the expectation of waiting and processing time. Managing
expectations must include giving applicants and the potential users a sense
of the time required for the whole process. For a small cluster of individuals
and families with complex and multiple needs, having an agency to lead
in case management or coordination will help because of the difficulties in
getting systems to adapt to the unique circumstances. This is a targeted
approach. For this matter, a case with complex need or a case with multiple
needs may not require coordination at the systems level when agencies are
able to negotiate or broker the schemes and processes to help the families.
Furthermore, with the setting up of IT infrastructures and the sharing of
information and data being made more adaptive for service delivery,
agencies can play their respective roles and take on the responsibility of
facilitating and helping those who need help. As practitioners, we can play
our part in the various roles and responsibilities we have to help clients,
patients, service users and their supporters. We do this collectively by
pulling together services, both formal and informal, to enable as many of
those with needs to continue to draw on their strengths and resources with
complementary external resources to live a life of dignity.

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