No money for MP’s early intervention foundation

The government has agreed to launch an early intervention foundation, but says there is no money to do so at the moment.

The move follows recommendations from Graham Allen’s review into early intervention.

In a letter to the MP, children and families minister Sarah Teather said: “You will be aware that government is trying to locate adequate funding to take this forward. If such funding is identified, my officials will be asked to run a fair and open competition to establish a foundation.”

Allen’s report endorses a jointly financed foundation, with private sector investment as well as government funding.

Allen said he was happy with the government’s response, which also promised to explore the feasibility of a single integrated review for all children aged around two.

“There’s a great deal more to do but, at this time, this is as much as I could expect from government,” he told Community Care.

“The response is proof that government and political parties are now taking early intervention seriously and I’m delighted that, after two years’ work on two reports, there’s been such a speedy and positive response.”

Allen said his next steps were to continue his search for funding from the private sector for the early intervention foundation and to maintain momentum around local authorities’ implementation of payment-by-results. He will continue consulting local authorities about implementing his recommendations and tomorrow will meet representatives from 27 authorities to discuss their next steps.

The government has pushed for more targeted services in children’s centres. Last week it made £3m available for up to 30 areas to trial payment-by-results in children’s centres this year.

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