This course enables participants to understand the key social care standards and expectations relevant to partnership working, know the spectrum of joint or partnership working activity, be able to appraise the appropriateness of current and future partnerships, understand the phases and dimensions of partnerships, be aware of the common barriers to partnership working, and know strategies for overcoming them, be able to enter into formal partnership agreements that acknowledge and meet the needs and expectations of all the partners, be able to exchange information in a manner that satisfies the needs of clients, business confidentiality and the data protection act and have made an action plan.