Risk governance through public sector interactive control systems: The intricacies of turning immeasurable uncertainties into manageable risks

Abstract

IMPACT Some public services, like children’s services, are subject to considerable political sensitivity and undergo regular reforms, but little is known of the micro-processes supporting macro-level regulation and policy-making. This article provides insights into this micro-level of inter-organizational relations by investigating risk governance and negotiation employed by English children’s services professionals in their attempt to make sense of the uncertainty in which they operate. Public managers may extract lessons on the role of partnership working in risk identification, measurement and governance. They could also employ the authors’ risk typology (organizational risk, professional risk and risk to clients) to manage and absorb uncertainty beyond, as well as within, organizational boundaries.