Second Graham Allen MP early intervention review revealed

Graham Allen’s second instalment of his government-commissioned early intervention report has been revealed today. It investigates how early intervention can be funded.

At a Westminster Social Policy Forum meeting this morning, early intervention review team lead Dr Angela Donkin said the report, which is due to be published later this month, will cover:

● making a case for increased investment in early intervention

● overcoming barriers to increased investment

● what local areas can do to promote and establish early intervention models

● what other support is needed

● the need and scope for external investment

● outcomes-based funding (also known as payment by results)

● a range of financing models

● incentivising investment

Donkin also defended the report’s strict adherence to evidence-based programmes, which has been criticised by some in the sector as stifling innovation. Programmes that are effective byt lack air-tight evidence, some have said, will not have a chance to develop under Allen’s recommendations.

“I’ve heard criticism that we’re being too rigorous on the evidence base,” Donkin said. “We are of course in favour of innovation, but in order to prove to government that early intervention is cost-effective we really need that solid basis.”

Donkin also said fears that UK charities would not have the funding necessary to fit into a payment by results system, which was endorsed in the first instalment of Allen’s report, were unfounded.

“We’re not saying that payment by results will be the perfect solution that will solve everything,” she said. “Graham Allen has said throughout his report that the government still needs to maintain funding and payment by results just is about getting some additional money in.”

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