CYP Now - Early Intervention Grant will only stretch so far

For all this government's rhetoric around early intervention and localism, it has emerged that local authorities will have substantially less to spend on such work as they see fit from next year.

This is because it is raiding the Early Intervention Grant to councils in order to fund free childcare for disadvantaged two-year olds, which will be distributed to councils as part of the Dedicated Schools Grant. It is also holding back £150m a year for future unspecified use.

Let us be clear: the free entitlement is a good policy, notwithstanding the financial challenges ahead for providers to deliver it. If it works, it will improve the life chances of many toddlers and boost social mobility.

But it became clear only last week that the existing Early Intervention Grant will be reduced substantially as a result. That spells further cuts to Sure Start children’s services, short breaks for disabled children, support for vulnerable teenagers, targeted mental health in schools – all the stuff included in the grant that councils must decide how to fund.

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