Abstract
Despite the rhetoric, there are currently very few genuine strategic partnerships in the fields of public health and community regeneration that involve community residents as well as agencies. Drawing on evidence from over 30 Communities that Care strategic partnerships across England, Scotland and Wales, the authors examine the key processes enabling these partnerships to be effective. They conclude that using a risk and protective model of working allows the creation of a common, joined-up data set and a resulting action plan that is community led, evidence based and sustainable over a period of several years.