The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child UNCRC gives children a right to: life (article 5); protection from abuse (article 19); special support if disabled (article 23); a good standard of health (article 24); education (article 28); protection from sexual abuse and drugs (articles 33 & 34); support if abused (article 39) and support if at risk of offending (article 40). These articles encourage state parties to take the necessary steps to ensure the provision of services and resources to prevent harm to the child and to ensure their optimum social, emotional and physical development.

Delays cause unnecessary distress, increase the risk of relapse (e.g. in mental illness) or worsening of the problem and are potentially harmful for the child, their family and wider community. Early intervention has been shown to improve the long-term prognosis of the individual child or young person.

If the child or young person is not given therapeutic support sufficiently early there may be greater disruption to the child’s family and may cause delays or problems with the child’s social, emotional and physical development and ability to build independence. Other problems may also occur or intensify and delays in treatment/support may lead to a slower and less complete ‘recovery’.

Early intervention can have a cost-benefit to the wider society. Highly specialised, comprehensive and intensive services which are necessary to produce the desired outcomes for the child and its family are often costly on a short-term basis but can have long-term cost savings. The child's increased developmental/educational/health/social gains and decreased dependence on family and support services, and perhaps the child's increased eligibility for employment, all provide economic as well as social benefits.

• Early Intervention and Prevention
• What do we mean by Earl Intervention?
• Why intervene early?
• Aims and sub-themes
• Additional information

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