Early Intervention Foundation unveils test sites
Derren Hayes
Thursday, August 8, 2013
The 20 English areas to become test beds for shaping police, health and social care services around early intervention work have been announced.
The 20 places named by the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) will bring together councils, police and crime commissioners, and clinical commissioning groups to share evidence, information and good practice with the intention of prioritising early intervention services.
The foundation will provide places with expertise and advice, and ensure learning from individual sites is shared across the network. Each site will be allocated a national adviser to provide support and access to experts in specific fields.
As well as developing an evidence base for the effectiveness of early intervention, the foundation wants the proportion of agency budgets spent on early intervention to increase over the 18-month programme.
The foundation says the 20 places have been selected because they have already demonstrated commitment to early intervention and innovation in service delivery.
Carey Oppenheim, chief executive of the EIF, said: “Underpinned by robust evidence, our mission is to change to a predominant culture from costly late reaction to effective early intervention. This first wave of 20 pioneering places will ground that mission in real life, giving us invaluable working examples of success.”
Martyn Underhill, police and crime commissioner for Dorset, one of the early intervention places, said: “Policing isn’t just about picking up the pieces, and reacting to issues, it’s about being pro-active as well. We look forward to working with partners on this exciting new initiative.”
The EIF, officially launched last month and chaired by Graham Allen MP, announced plans to develop the test sites earlier in the year.
The 20 places cover: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Croydon, Dorset, Essex, Gateshead, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire, Islington, Lancashire’s police and crime commissioner, Newcastle, Nottingham City, Poole, Plymouth, Solihull, Staffordshire, London Tri-Borough (Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster), West Cheshire Partners, Wiltshire and Swindon, and Worcestershire.
To read an interview with Carey Oppenheim, click here or see the latest issue of CYP Now.
