Speaking at a fringe meeting of the Labour conference in Brighton, Primarolo acknowledged evidence of the benefits that exist but said government departments and local authorities are yet to be convinced.
Her comments were made at a meeting hosted by Action For Children debating whether spending on children during a recession pays off.
Earlier this month, the charity published a report claiming radical investment in children's services could lead to savings of £486bn over the next 20 years.
Primarolo told delegates that the challenge is "not just a question of finances" but of "making the case and delivering change".
"It is not just for politicians at Westminster to be brave in taking hold of what's said, it needs to be done by local authorities and health authorities, and service delivery people who take decisions have to be persuaded that early intervention is the right thing," she said. "We have got a long way to go to make the argument that early intervention works."
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