In recent years the failures in the exchange of information between different parts of a highly specialized social services sector has been increasingly criticized. Criticism that has pointed out the dangers of these shortcomings within this highly specialized sector. One main characteristic of specialized social services is that the profession's domain is divided into one or more social service authorities and one or more treatment units.

This study aims to show the integrative processes that exist within the specialized social services sector and points out the importance that they have. Further this study will show what factors are influencing these integrative processes.

The concept of integrative processes describes in general the interaction between different actors, actors that seek collaboration in order to achieve common goals. The work focuses on integrative processes within a highly specialized social services sector which occur during the initiation and implementation of home-based treatment programs. Programs targeted at children and young people who are no older than 17 years and were carried out by the social services' own treatment resources. The reason for this is the high incidence of integrative processes in this phase of work which therefore enables a comprehensive examination of these interactions.

The empirical material in this study is made up partly of documents such as operation plans and semi-standardized research interviews. The analysis of the data is carried out within a theoretical framework consisting of a coupling of the Domain Theory and New Institutionalism Organization Theory. The final discussion points out the factors that reinforce a positive impact on integrative processes and their application in the initiation and evaluation of home-based treatment programs.