Measuring collaboration quality in the context of Barnahus and Children’s Advocacy Centers: a thematic and measure review

Multi-agency collaboration is central to integrated response models like the Barnahus and Children’s Advocacy Centers in operationalizing children’s rights; yet defining and measuring the quality of this collaboration remains a significant challenge for researchers and policymakers. This review aims to identify the underlying dimensions of collaboration quality in responses to child abuse and examine the degree to which existing instruments address these dimensions. A rapid review of 38 international studies published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted, synthesizing evidence from qualitative studies and instrument validation studies. The thematic analysis identified six primary domains associated with collaboration quality: Relational Foundations (e.g., trust and safety), Cognitive Foundations (e.g., shared mission), Communication, Active Processes (e.g., joint planning), and Systemic Enablers (e.g., resources) and Structural Frameworks (e.g., protocols). The review also identified and appraised 13 existing instruments used to assess these domains. Analysis revealed that while some standardized measures provided deep assessments of internal team dynamics, others functioned primarily as structural inventories, with few tools covering the full spectrum of the identified domains in a single instrument. The review outlines a framework of collaboration quality to inform future measure development efforts.