Graham Allen heads winning bid to run Early Intervention Foundation

The Early Intervention Foundation Consortium, brought together by MP Graham Allen, led by 4Children and made up of 30 children’s charities, has been awarded £3.5m by the Department for Education to run the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) for two years, after which it will become self-financing.

A key role of the EIF will be to champion early intervention and provide advice and support to local commissioners on evidence, social finance and payment-by-results, to help them choose early intervention programmes.

It will also gather evidence and research for what works for early intervention in the UK.

Plans for the Early Intervention Foundation were announced by Iain Duncan Smith in March as part of his Social Justice Strategy, which called for a move towards tackling the causes of social breakdown through early intervention.

Graham Allen said, ‘We are thrilled with the news and itching to begin a serious long-term contribution to the vital work of giving babies, children and young people the social and emotional capability to realise their full potential.

‘Everyone involved in the consortium is eager and excited to begin this crucial work. It will take a generation to make the impact that we want but that work has to start with the first step.

‘The plans we have been working on for over a year can now swing into action and delivery begin in the very near future.’