Redefining Relationships between Citizens & Services – Prevention & Early Engagement

Michael O’Toole

What the voluntary sector offers

• Expertise in what works• Channel to service user

voice• Access & relationship with

more demanding clients• Early intervention &

prevention approach• Ability to work

collaboratively• Social Value

Mentor

Some children grow up without ambition, not understanding what society has to offer or what they can contribute to society. They believe they are not good enough, feel out of place and this leads to limited life chances, reduced life expectancy, and higher risk of dependency on alcohol and drugs. Fixing things when they go wrong is not good enough. We want every child to strive to make the most of their life, no matter what their background.

What we do

What we knowworks

What we do that we know works

What we do that we know doesn’t work

The Olive of Prevention

Adapted from Harry Rutter, director of the National Obesity Observatory

“Societies tend to make a small investment in prevention and, on average, they reap a small return.”

Drug and Public Policy Group

Drugs and Public Policy Group (2010), Drug Policy and the Public Good: a summary of the book. Addiction, 105: 1137–1145. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03049.x

Why we need early interventions

Early Childhood Adulthood

Leve

l of

Pro

blem

Beh

avio

rs

Trajecto

ry of P

roblems/

Increasing C

osts

Source: PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Age 21, cost per person already = £91 - £121k

£827,000Lifetime cost of male problem drug user

Traditional perspective on prevention

• Emphasising the harms will disincentivise use?

• Young people given enough information will make rational decisions about their health?

• One off interventions are enough?

• Prevention = school drug and alcohol education/posters/TV adverts?

Case study – Scared Straight

• Programme assumes that by showing ‘reality’ of the criminal justice system young people will want to avoid it

• Unfortunately trials of the interventions have shown:

the ‘Scared Straight’ programme actually increased the risk of offending in the juveniles in the intervention group compared with juveniles in the control group

• The Social Research Unit calculated that for every child it is delivered to (£55) it costs a further £14,268 to put right.

Scared Straight and Other Juvenile Awareness Programs for Preventing Juvenile Delinquency: A Systematic Review of the Randomized Experimental Evidence, The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science September 2003 vol. 589 no. 1 41-62

Setting and SystemsEnvironment

Family

School

Community

Photo by Flickr user Australian Govt.

Universal vs. Targeted

Photo by Flickr user Collin Key Photo by Flickr user CliffMuller

Delivered to all regardless of risk.Examples include: • school prevention programmes• public health media campaigns

Photo by Flickr user Ian Freimuth

Delivered to higher risk groups. Examples include:• Family and parenting

programmes• Screening and brief intervention

Case Study – Good Behaviour Game

• Classroom strategy for 6 – 8 year olds. Programme assumes that early socialisation into school is protective.

• Outcomes:– Doing well in school– Good behaviour– Not using substances– Not depressed– No suicidal ideation

• SRU benefit to cost ratio shows for every £1 invested £26 is returned. Photo by Flickr user Philippe Put

Contact Details

MentorCAN-Mezzanine

49-51 East RoadLondon N1 6AH

020 7553 9920

Michael.otoole@mentoruk.org

@MentorTweets @otoole_michael

www.mentoruk.org.uk