DfE: How early intervention could be saved from cuts

Early intervention projects could be funded by a national pooled budget to save them from the ravages of public spending cuts.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said the pooling of resources between departments was among the options being considered.

Ministers were working closely with the early intervention commission, chaired by Graham Allen MP, and the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services (C4EO) to “help form a range of options to help local authorities integrate early intervention,” the spokesperson said.

Following David Cameron’s pledge to protect troubled families by investing in the early years, children’s minister Tim Loughton has told Local Government Chronicle that he is working towards a “completely integrated early intervention strategy”.

He said this would make it easier to pool funding for health, benefits, police, justice and children’s services.

Loughton said the results could pave the way for the wider adoption of local measures, following the conclusions of Graham Allen’s independent commission. He confirmed that the departments expected to be involved were the Home Office, the Department for Work & Pensions and the Ministry of Justice.

“We want to create an environment for people to come forward with innovative and effective solutions. If they can show that it works, they’ll find an open door,” he said.

The Association of Directors of Children’s Services, which published a report on early intervention with C4EO this week, has already called on the government to ring-fence funding for early intervention in the comprehensive spending review, due this month.

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