WOMEN AND CHILDREN An exploration of best practice in multi-agency working and the experiences of families of children with complex health needs. What works well and what needs to be done to improve practice for the future? Bernie Carter BSc(Hons), PGCE, PhD, RSCN, SRN Professor of Children’s Nursing, Department of Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK Julie Cummings BSc(Hons), RGN, RSCN, FETC, Dip. Asthma Senior Lecturer in Children’s Nursing, Department of Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK Lorraine Cooper BSc(Hons), Cert Quel in Social Work, Dip. Applied Social Studies, Cert. Ed. Senior Lecturer in Social Work, Department of Social Work, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK Submitted for publication: 16 June 2005 Accepted for publication: 12 November 2005 Correspondence: Bernie Carter Department of Nursing University of Central Lancashire Preston PR1 2HE UK Telephone: 01772 893720 E-mail: bcarter@uclan.ac.uk CARTER B, CUMMINGS J & COOPER L (2007) CARTER B, CUMMINGS J & COOPER L (2007) Journal of Clinical Nursing 16, 527–539 An exploration of best practice in multi-agency working and the experiences of families of children with complex health needs. What works well and what needs to be done to improve practice for the future? Aims and objectives. This Appreciative Inquiry study aimed to explore apprecia- tively examples of best multi-agency working practice with families (mothers, n ¼ 20; fathers, n ¼ 7; children, n ¼ 1) and people working with children with complex needs (n ¼ 41), to determine what works well, why it has worked well and what best practice in the future could be. Background. The term ‘children with complex health needs’ encompasses a diverse group of children and this population is increasing. This diverse group of children often requires high levels of physiological, psychological and social care which brings them and their families into therapeutic contact with a wide range of health, social and education professionals and people from other agencies. Design. The study used appreciative interviews, nominal group workshops and con- sensus workshops to develop a set of 10 ‘best practice’ guidelines that reflected the views of all participants. Two of these are discussed in detail in this article. All participants were seen as co-researchers whose expert contributions were vital to understanding of what works well and what needs to be done in multi-agency working practice. Results. The study resulted in ‘best practice’ statements that illuminated ‘what works well’ in multi-agency working practice that spanned issues including information, decision making, communication, accessibility, collaboration, respect and sharing a common vision. Conclusions. The guidance that results from this study suggests that parents need the opportunity to share and receive support from other parents who understand the lived reality of caring for a child with complex needs. Parents and people from across various Ó 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 527 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01554.x