{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T03:59:09Z","timestamp":1790740749797,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790640000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790640000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Child"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Fragmentation across healthcare, education, welfare and community\u2010based services creates persistent challenges for coordinating support for children with developmental difficulties. Formal integration across these sectors may be difficult to achieve. This study explored how participating professionals perceived cross\u2010sectoral collaboration during the early implementation of a paediatrician\u2010initiated multi\u2010agency network operating within existing institutional structures.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>An exploratory early implementation evaluation was conducted using a retrospective pre\u2013post survey design. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 116 network members, of whom 32 responded. Participants retrospectively rated their pre\u2010network experiences and their current experiences across four study\u2010specific domains of collaboration: ease of consultation, understanding of roles across sectors, adoption of a needs\u2010based perspective and confidence in cross\u2010sectoral referral and collaboration. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and free\u2010text responses were analysed thematically by two reviewers.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Participants reported higher current than retrospective pre\u2010network ratings across all four collaboration domains, with the largest perceived changes in understanding of roles and confidence in cross\u2010sectoral referral and collaboration. Thematic analysis identified four themes: accessible consultation pathways, shared language and mutual understanding, confidence through relational trust and persistent structural constraints. Participants described the value of identifiable consultation contacts and repeated cross\u2010sectoral interaction, while also noting limitations in network reach and continuing institutional barriers.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This exploratory evaluation provides preliminary insight into how professionals participating in a voluntary multi\u2010agency network perceived cross\u2010sectoral collaboration during early implementation. Building on these findings, we propose the M\u2010MEW (Mesh\u2010in\u2010Dome) model as a practice\u2010derived conceptualisation of a bidirectional and multidirectional relational mesh developing across existing institutional structures. The model envisages an initial facilitating hub supporting network formation, with the potential for coordination to become increasingly distributed as reciprocal relationships develop. Prospective evaluation is required to determine whether this model improves collaboration or outcomes for children and families.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/cch.70358","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T03:19:32Z","timestamp":1790738372000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Intermediary Relational Coordination in Fragmented Child Developmental Support Systems: An Early Implementation Evaluation of a Multi\u2010Agency Network in Japan"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"52","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-6339-490X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Akihiro","family":"Sato","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Minamimachida Children's Clinic, Sodokai Medical Corporation  Machida Tokyo Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_14_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2014.08.036"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17571472.2012.11493346"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4159\/9780674028845","volume-title":"The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design","author":"Bronfenbrenner 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Japan","year":"2017"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_13_1","volume-title":"i\u2010THRIVE Overview","author":"National i\u2010THRIVE Programme","year":"2019"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467\u20108624.2009.01378.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2011\u20102663"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5334\/ijic.886"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_17_1","volume-title":"THRIVE Framework for System Change","author":"Wolpert M.","year":"2019"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_18_1","volume-title":"Framework on Integrated People\u2010Centred Health Services","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2016"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_19_1","volume-title":"Continuity and Coordination of Care: A Practice Brief to Support Implementation of the WHO Framework on Integrated People\u2010Centred Health Services","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2018"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_20_1","volume-title":"Operational Framework for Primary Health Care: Transforming Vision Into Action","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2020"}],"container-title":["Child: Care, Health and Development"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/cch.70358","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/cch.70358","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/cch.70358","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T03:19:46Z","timestamp":1790738386000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/cch.70358"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]]},"references-count":19,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,11]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/cch.70358"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cch.70358","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0305-1862","1365-2214"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0305-1862","type":"print"},{"value":"1365-2214","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-01-31","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication 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