This report forms part of a series of initiatives to improve the integration of service delivery in the public management system. A need for integrated service delivery was identified in 2001 when the Government established the Review of the Centre Advisory Committee to review the State sector. An Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) programme was set up to address this need and this report discusses the regional co-ordination workstream as part of the ISD project. The regional co-ordination workstream aims to promote integrated service delivery by enhancing and building on successful regional co-ordination and collaboration models between central government and local government, community agencies and Māori. A literature review, and qualitative research with stakeholders involved in regional co-ordination, forms the basis of this report. The terms and concepts used most often in relation to regional co-ordination and integrated social service delivery are reviewed in chapter 2. Chapter 3 traverses the issues that have provided the impetus for integrated service delivery and regional co-ordination in New Zealand and internationally, and the outcomes that integration and co-ordination seek to achieve. In chapter 4 there is discussion on the processes and outcomes of participatory policy development, regional co-ordination, integrated service delivery and location-related initiatives. The author posits there is evidence that the lessons gained from particular initiatives rarely link back into mainstream policy development and planning. Chapter 5 examines integrated service delivery and regional co-ordination for Māori concluding that the amount of information on outcomes for Māori from collaborative initiatives is limited. The final chapter explores the principles that underpin collaborative initiatives and integrated service delivery arrangements and includes a brief section on principles relating to policy development and strategic planning. Risks and barriers to successful service integration are also discussed.

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