Beyond rhetoric: Rethinking community services integration according to what clients need and value

This research examines service integration challenges within Australia's community services sector. Despite persistent policy directives advocating for integration to improve access to appropriate support, implementation remains difficult. Through case studies of mental health and homelessness services involving 23 interviews and workshops with 14 staff, the research applies Ecological Systems Theory and Actor-Based Change Framework to critique conventional approaches. The study proposes a "System of Attentive Relationships" model that reconceptualises integration based on client values rather than organisational imperatives. This perspective challenges policymakers to shift from structural solutions to relationship-based approaches that better deliver services clients value.