• Early in the life of the child and/or• Early in the development of a problem –

even before there is a problem

Interventions that ward off the initial onset of a disorder; i.e. intervening before damage takes place in a way that avoids the later costs in both human and financial terms of handling the consequences of the symptoms of that damage’ (Allen 2011)

Identifying, and working to minimize, risk

Working to develop the capacity of children and families to cope despite risks

It is about the whole population of children, not just those with a problem now, and is therefore an everybody issue. A public health issue.

• A commitment to prevention• Priority focus on early years• Continuing early intervention in later

years• A multi-agency systems approach• High quality workforce• Investment in programmes that work

Centre for Social Justice (2011)

• Early intervention is well down the priorities table for almost everyone

• The capacity to implement effective early intervention in mental health is under-developed

• Spend now to save later is a tough message to make credible in times of cuts

PROBLEM SOLUTION

Disease National Health Service

Ignorance Universal Education

Idleness Benefits and training

Squalor Public Health Services

Want National Insurance and welfare benefits

Social exclusion:

• Is multi-dimensional• Is inter-generational• Affects individuals, groups and

communities• Is at the root of poor outcomes

Removing the barriers to inclusion is key

• Identification of risk• Identification of positive strengths• Targeted and universal services• Partnership (IPP) approach• Long term (10-20 year) strategies

• Overwhelming economic case for early intervention

• Strong evidence base for effectiveness of early (cf. late intervention)

• Localism• Building ‘social and emotional bedrock’

• Normalising mental health• Attachment• Brain development• Risk and resilience• Interprofessional practice• Training for the next generation of parents• Supervision and consultation – capacity

building

• We need to build capacity at tier 1 - but training, on its own, will not transform practice or be sustainable

• We need to train and influence commissioners and budget holders – not just practitioners

• We need to know the evidence that’s out there and add to it

• We need to win the argument for early intervention locally and share good practice in an age of localism

• We need to promote integrated approaches at a time when people are pulling up the drawbridge

• We need to find creative ways to share in an age of competition

• Be strategic• Be systemic• Get connected• Look for strengths• Don’t be disheartened by the

challenges - we’re used to swimming against the tide – its what we do best

roger.catchpole@youngminds.org.uk

020 7089 5052

www.youngminds.org.uk

• Making sense of early intervention: a framework for professionals, Centre for Social Justice (2011) http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/20110707_early_years_report_web_v3.pdf

• Early Intervention: the next steps. Allen, G (2011) http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/graham-allen-launches-second-report-early-intervention