A policy report from the Early Years Commission, chaired by Dr Samantha Callaghan, Centre for Social Justice (September 2008)
Introduction
A compelling body of research indicates that children's experiences in the earliest years of their lives strongly influence their futures across a wide range of measures. Policy is currently focused on dealing with the consequences of early adversity (neglect, abuse and dysfunction) which are strongly implicated in the dramatic increases in young people's alcohol and drug use and mental health problems and in youthful knife and gun
crime. The most effective intervention strategy therefore requires helping parents to get it right at the antenatal, postnatal and infant stages, long before such help is typically available. Such timely support for parents could
help them do an outstanding job in raising the next generation.
(Extracted from Executive Summary)
To download the complete report visit www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk
A report by Graham Allen, MP and former Conservative party leader, Iain Duncan Smith in a call for cross party working to improve early intervention. In the report they call for their party leaders' support for:
1. The Manifesto Framework - A clear commitment to pursue an Early Intervention strategy should
be made in party manifestos and party leaders should all make an unequivocal public commitment
to the intergenerational change which Early Intervention needs.
2. A Research Base - A commitment that a future UK Government commission a
long-term study,
similar to the New Zealand Dunedin Study, comparing the development of cohorts of children with
and without Early Intervention to inform the policy as it develops.
3. A National Policy Assessment Centre - A pledge to create a National Policy Assessment Centre to
assess and recommend the most robust and sustainable Early Intervention policies in the UK.
4. Local Government - The Local Government Association, in cooperation with central Government
should host an Early Intervention Leader's Network within the UK.
5. The Comprehensive Spending Review - To help place Early Intervention at the heart of the public
policy debate, each party leader should name the next Comprehensive Spending Review the CEEarly
Intervention CSR, so that steps can be taken now to initiate serious financial reorientation and
investment alongside the serious Treasury research and planning which always precedes a CSR.
6. Local Early Intervention vision for each area - Central government should ask every local council
and/or Local Strategic Partnership to produce a short Early Intervention vision for their area,
learning from best available practice.
7. A Treasury Study - We urge a modestly funded, multi-departmental study, led by the Treasury and
Cabinet Office research, to devise a new form of financial instrument to fund Early Intervention
sustainably by releasing for use now some of the massive future savings of Early Intervention.
To read the full report visit
www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk
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