Inter-agency partnerships and Integrated Community Schools a Scottish perspective

Integrated Community Schools (ICS) in Scotland provide a focus for studying the role of inter-agency partnerships in supporting more inclusive schools and their communities. In this article, Lyn Tett examines two types of intervention, those designed to coordinate supportive programmes within and outside schools, and those that have acted as a catalyst to restructure local authorities' education and children's services. It is argued that inter-agency work is difficult and change requires time, resources and commitment to building a meta-strategy that will allow all relevant interest groups to find a way forward. Inter-agency programmes can contribute to social inclusion, it is suggested, by sustaining projects that prioritise collaborative partnerships with all the community.