Early interveners: “Leave your comfort zone!”
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17466661211213698 |
| Pages | 73-77 |
| Date | 16 March 2012 |
| Published date | 16 March 2012 |
| Author | Graham Allen |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care,Sociology |
Early interveners: ‘‘Leave your
comfort zone!’’
Graham Allen
Abstract
Purpose – The prominence of late intervention in service delivery culture contrasts with the depth of
scientific evidence that demonstrates the advantage of intervening early to prevent the development of
social dysfunction and problems. The paper seeks to address this issue.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on the author’s experience as a leading UK
politician advocating the greater use of evidence-based early intervention approaches, including in two
independent reviews to Government.
Findings – Early intervention programmes not only deliver better outcomes for children and families, but
also yield substantial service savings and provide significant returns on investment. An Early Intervention
Foundation, independent of government oversight, will respond to localised demand for evidence-based
interventions, and disseminate the body of science in a digestible and practical form.
Originality/value – The paper argues that the Early Intervention Foundation will lead a cultural shift
towards localised, evidenced-based services funded by evolving and innovative finance methods.
Keywords Deficit reduction, Early intervention, Early Intervention Foundation,
Evidence-based programmes, Independent review, Social andemotional development, Children,
Families
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
It is my privilege to be one among a minority of Members of Parliament who are fortunate to
represent the community in which they were born and raised. Sadly Nottingham North, which
has been my constituency for the past 26 years, has a history of severe socio-economic
problems. It has had one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Western Europe and
sent the fewest number of young people to university of any constituency in the UK. Now, as
the British economy stalls, Nottingham North has experienced a rise in unemployment to a
point where it has the 15th highest rate among 650 parliamentary constituencies. The
consequences of the disadvantage faced by many local children have been underlined by a
series of Ofsted primary school inspections which note that too many children arrive at
school unable to speak in sentences, recognise a letter or number, or resolve playground
differences without fighting.
Dismayed by seeing so many children’s lives and potential being wasted, I have spent much
of my political life trying to create new opportunities capable of turning their life chances
around. As Chair of ONE Nottingham – the Local Strategic Partnership for our City – I
learned about the part that evidence-based programmes could play in developing the social
and emotional abilities of children. The traditional service model for vulnerable and socially
disadvantaged children has been to identify those exhibiting emotional or behaviour
problems and then try to help them. Yet the value of intervening to prevent problems from
occurring in the first place, or early in their development, should be obvious: while it is never
too late to provide support, the earlier we can help and intervene the more effective and
cheaper it will be. Fostering the development of good social and emotional capabilities is as
DOI 10.1108/17466661211213698 VOL. 7 NO. 1 2012, pp. 73-77, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-6660
j
JOURNAL OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
j
PAGE 73
Graham Allen is a Labour
MP for Nottingham North,
House of Commons,
London, UK.
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