Early Intervention Foundation

Tuesday 13th March 2012 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Education (Sarah Teather)]

The Government recognise that early intervention is an important area. It makes sense, wherever possible, to prevent problems or address them early on. Taking this preventive approach will support children to achieve their full potential, reducing costs to the state of later educational failure and offering a wide range of associated benefits in participation, productivity, behaviour, health and social cohesion. Offering early help is central to the Government’s commitment to unlock social mobility and tackle child poverty.

On 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 11, in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen) I confirmed that the Government plans to procure the early intervention foundation.

The new foundation will have two key roles:

providing advice and support to local commissioners on evidence, social finance and payment by results relating to early intervention to assist their own procurement and evaluation; and

building the evidence base on what works in early intervention in the UK.

The Department will issue a public notification shortly in advance of an open and competitive procurement. Government have always been clear that an open and competitive tender process is the best way to ensure value for taxpayers’ money.

The Government have secured £3.5 million to fund the foundation for a two-year period. The contract will run for up to two years after which it will become self-financing, and Government funding will cease.