Current policy encourages 'partnerships' between statutory organisations and professionals; public and private sectors; with voluntary organisations and local communities. But is this collaborative discourse as distinctive as the government claims? These claims are critically examined, using evidence from a wide range of welfare partnerships.

Contents: Introduction Martin Powell and Caroline Glendinning; Partnerships, quasi-networks and social policy Martin Powell and Mark Exworthy; Partnership and the remaking of welfare governance John Clarke and Caroline Glendinning; What is a 'successful' partnership and how can it be measured? Bob Hudson and Brian Hardy; Partnership at the front line: the WellFamily service and primary care Karen Clarke and Kirstein Rummery; Building capacity for collaboration in English Health Action Zones (HAZs) Marian Barnes and Helen Sullivan; Partnerships for local governance: citizens, communities and accountability Guy Daly and Howard Davis; Partnerships with the voluntary sector: can Compacts work? Pete Alcock and Duncan Scott; Dangerous liaisons: local government and the voluntary and community sectors Gary Craig and Marilyn Taylor; 'Together we'll crack it': partnership and the governance of crime prevention Gordon Hughes and Eugene McLaughlin; Regeneration partnerships under New Labour: a case of creeping centralisation Jonathan Davies; Education Action Zones Sharon Gewirtz, Marny Dickson, David Halpin, Geoff Whitty and Sally Power; Public-private partnerships - the case of PFI Sally Ruane; Public-private partnerships in pensions policies Sue Ward; Conclusions: towards a theory of welfare partnerships Kirstein Rummery