UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFICULTIES HINDERING INTER-AGENCY COLLABORATION FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN QUEBEC
In 2003, the government of Quebec established the Agreement for the Complementarity of Services Between the Health and Social Services Network and the Education Network to define principles and obligations for inter- agency collaboration aimed at students with special needs and their families. This study documents the perspectives of organisation members from both networks. One hundred eighty-one participants were interviewed regarding their perceptions of inter-agency collaboration and related difficulties. Findings reveal that although network members are committed to collaborate in concordance with the Agreement, significant obstacles hinder an effective partnership, including an overall lack of coherence and gaps in the conditions required for an effective partnership, as well as insufficient awareness of the Agreement.