Government promises ring-fenced early intervention support for vulnerable children

The government has published its long-awaited early intervention report and pledged to bring in ring-fenced funding to ensure children’s trusts do more to support vulnerable children at an early age.

Among pledges outlined in the report Early Intervention: Securing good outcomes for all children and young people, are plans to trial a multi-agency Children and Young People’s Grant from April next year.

This will be ring-fenced money for youth work, school improvement, family support, services for children with disabilities.

In announcing the report, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls hoped that the grant will encourage partnerships across health, social care, police and education, and focus on supporting children and families at an early stage before problems escalate.

He said: “Every person who works with children, young people and families has a responsibility and part to play in making early intervention work in their area. This is especially important for schools, colleges, children’s centres and GPs.”

The early intervention report is the strongest support yet from the government of the importance of investing in early intervention projects.

NCB chief executive Sir Paul Ennals described the report as “the most important publication to come out of government in recent weeks”.

“It puts an overwhelming case for continued investment in good quality programmes for children and families. The responsibility now lies on children’s trusts to take this seriously,” he added.

The report also outlines plans to set up an Early Intervention Implementation Group, to be run by the government and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.

The use of Social Impact Bonds to fund children and youth projects will also be explored. These use a different approach to funding that involves commercial investors and government payments linked to a clear set of targets on improving outcomes for particular groups.