Samenvatting

The day to day work of social professionals working with ‘hard to reach’ people, is known to be highly complex. Especially the interdependent relationship with other agencies.
Often problems are not only related to social and welfare themes but also to safety and justice issues. Therefore a wider perspective is asked for. Questions answered in this article are: which elements are being perceived as complex in the relationship with other agencies and how do professionals relate to these elements. Data is used from former research performed within a team working with Roma families. Knowledge, expertise, information sharing and coordination are perceived as complex elements. Good contacts and communication between individual professionals are essential. Understanding each other’s perspective is crucial in achieving a joint effort. Professionals need intensive support in order to keep focused on the values of their work and avoid being led by emotions and issues of the day.