Abstract
The paper is devoted to the aspects of mutual cooperation between school psychologists and the Child Social and Legal Protection Authority (CSPA). The instrument of data collection is a semi-structured interview. The informants were school psychologists (N: 7) and OSPOD workers (N: 3).
A qualitative approach (specifically thematic analysis) was used to process the data. The aim of the research was to investigate how the cooperation between school psychologist and OSPD takes place and to identify critical points in their contact.
The analyses obtained show that there are several key factors that influence the frequency and level of satisfaction with the collaboration. One of these factors is mutual trust between the institutions, and the establishment of this trust can be supported by personal communication between representatives of the institutions, for example in the form of informal or formal meetings where competences and roles in the cooperation process are mutually defined or information is passed on. According to the respondents, cooperation is facilitated by specific personal characteristics of individuals. In the event that personal knowledge and contact with a specific individual is not established, a gatekeeper, i.e. an outsider who can mediate contact, can contribute to cooperation.
Establishing a strong working network in the best interests of the child is essential for cooperation.