Patch-based community social work was developed in Great Britain in the last 20 years. It is now being used in Iowa and Pennsylvania. The term "patch" refers to a limited geographical area that is served by a locally based team of human service workers. By localizing workers with different levels and types of skill in neighborhood offices, patch teams can offer accessible, flexible, and holistic services based on their knowledge of the local cultural and physical environment, as well as on the formal and informal partnerships they develop in their neighborhood or patch. The patch approach takes the public sector into neighborhood-based practice and into a more collaborative relationship with private providers. Patch teams based in public agencies with statutory responsibility for individual cases find creative ways to meet those responsibilities while working proactively in the neighborhood. They typically identify signs of trouble early and more informally. Consequently, they are able to intervene sooner and less aggressively, such that families can receive measured help when they need it instead of having to wait until a problem becomes a crisis. This approach yields an increase in referrals but a decrease in the formal processing of families through the child welfare system. 10 references