PLACE-BASED INTEGRATED SERVICES: LITERATURE REVIEW – NOVEMBER 2016

In recent years, place-based approaches to service delivery have seen a resurgence in Australia, as community services and government departments seek to address the geographical concentration of long-term, complex social problems. At the same time, the community sector has recognised the importance of collaboration and service integration to better meet the needs of individuals, families, and communities. However, the meaning of concepts such as place, community, needs, and so on are often taken for granted, and the causes and effects of disadvantage conflated in analyses that fail to recognise the complexity of social and structural factors. This literature review outlines the main approaches to the relevant key concepts, as well as providing an insight into some of the benefits and problems associated with place-based integrated service delivery – such as how to implement it and evaluate its effectiveness.