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An independent review on how early intervention projects can improve the lives of the UK's most vulnerable children has been launched by the government.
Labour MP Graham Allen (Nottingham North) will chair the inquiry, announced by work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith and education minister Sarah Teather.
The Cabinet Office review will consider models of best practice around early intervention and how such models could best be disseminated and supported.
The review will also look to new and innovative funding mechanisms, including non government funding which will ensure the long term stability and funding of early intervention programmes.
Responding to his new post, Allen said he was taking the job "not for sectional interest or to score political points but to improve the life chances for people inconsistencies like mine".
Allen is well known for his commitment to early intervention, encouraging innovation in his Nottingham constituency, through the One Nottingham programme.
"Now we not only need to prove we can take early intervention to a national level, we also need to find inventive ways to fund it in a time of economic drought," Allen said.
"I have insisted that this work be strictly independent and the lessons shared with all parties. If early intervention is to be a success it must last a generation and therefore has to be owned and sustained by all the parties."
Writing in the Financial Times, Allen said the two key questions for the inquiry would be about how to spread best practice on early intervention throughout the country and how to fund projects sustainably.
He suggested that the money markets could be used to raise finance through early intervention bonds.
The review will be the first piece of work to emerge from the Cabinet's social justice committee, chaired by Duncan Smith.
Allen and Duncan Smith co-authored a Centre for Social Justice and Smith Institute report on early intervention in September 2008.
They have continued to call for a cross-party commitment to early intervention and prevention programmes.
Allen will produce an interim report in January 2011 on the first area, providing an interim report on the second. A final report on funding will be produced by May 2011.
Article Comments
We have been doing early intervention with young people from primary and secondary schools for 13 years.We have done some of these in the Nottingham area and have a number booked for this school year. We have a system that works and that has been around now for 17 years. Why re-invent the wheel come and see how we do it. It will certainly save you some money!!!
DAVID JONES
19th Jan 2011 at 1:21 pm
The Allen Review is a welcome analysis of early intervention which we hope will reinforce the body of evidence that shows the long term social and economic viability of a preventative approach to support services. We urge the review to seek the guidance of the voluntary sector who are pivotal in current practices and sharing innovative models.
Our research, Backing the Future, shows that long term investment in effective interventions can save the public purse up to 486 million pounds over 20 years - if initiatives are seen through from their inception and given a chance to embed to make a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable.
To break long term cycles of deprivation and neglect, families need help that works for them, does not label them and gives them the chance to seek help before problems escalate out of control.
Dame Clare Tickell, chief executive, Action for Children
3rd Aug 2010 at 1:42 pm
At Chance UK, we have always advocated that for early intervention to succeed it needs to be outside of party politics. So we welcome the cross-party leadership of the commission all of whom are long-standing advocates of early intervention.
We particularly welcome Graham Allen's comment that for early intervention to be a success, it needs to span across a generation. It is very refreshing to hear from the Chair of the Committee that he knows there are no quick fix solutions.
Matt Collins, Chance UK
30th Jul 2010 at 7:06 am
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Mary milne
19th Jan 2011 at 6:58 pm