Early Intervention

While it is widely accepted that early intervention in terms of any type of difficulty is the best way forward.

There is a degree of overlap between the terms Prevention and Early Intervention. These terms have been defined in the following way:

• 'Prevention' refers to activities to stop a social or psychological problem arising in the first place.’
• Prevention services are available as part of universal provision.
• 'Early intervention' is activity aimed at halting the development of a problem which is already evident.
• Early Intervention is targeted assistance for vulnerability towards offending and other problems. Moira Walker (2005) Framework for Action (2008)

The distinction between the two terms relates to the stage of problem development, rather than age of the child or length of time the child has been known to a particular agency. Early intervention includes services to halt the development of specific social or psychological problems, irrespective of the age of the child or young person.

There can also be confusion between the terms Early Intervention and Diversion. In this context, the term Diversion means diversion from formal proceedings. (Whyte 2008) . Diversion may be from both the Children’s Hearings System and the Criminal Justice System. Particularly for under 16 year olds diversionary resources are sometimes but not always the same universally available resources that constitute preventive provision.

Children and young people who start to offend may come from a range of social backgrounds and cultures, and possess a wide range of both personal difficulties and individual strengths requiring a range of responses. The majority of anti social behaviour and youth offending takes place in areas of economic and social deprivation, where there are less opportunities for pro social activity than in better off areas, and where social controls are frequently poor. Early intervention has implications for community planning strategies if it is to be effective in reducing offending.

What is described as anti social behaviour by an individual may fall within the parameters of normal adolescent behaviour, as opposed to criminal behaviour, although seen as unacceptable from an adult perspective. Many young people who are charged with an initial offence never commit any further offences, even without any formal intervention. Research indicates that poor parental supervision and monitoring is a key feature for young people who offend.. The family’s parenting skills, emotional support and pro social values can be critical in preventing further offending. Early involvement in formal systems such as the Children’s Hearings System and social work is statistically likely to result in an increase in offending behaviour by labelling and stigmatisation. Referral of young people with low levels of offending to formal youth justice programmes may risk the negative effects of labelling and net widening.

Early intervention through diversion away from formal systems into pro social activities and supports within universal services is likely to reduce low level offending. Early and effective intervention should focus on developing strengths, resilience and a positive sense of identity rather than depending on risk assessment as a deficit model. Some children and young people have many complex needs resulting from earlier trauma, entrenched family difficulties, limited parenting skills, and sometimes coupled with pro criminal values. Early and effective intervention in respect of offending should be multi faceted based on a comprehensive assessment of need. Research brought together by Blyth and Solomon (2009), indicates that early intervention is most effective on a long term basis when supports are universally offered as part of the local culture thereby avoiding stigmatisation. This is applicable both to early years’ parenting support and parenting programmes for the parents of adolescents;

Early intervention is not a new concept. It has been embedded in Scottish legislation and practice through the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 for nearly fifty years. Welfare and youth offending are not mutually exclusive: e In addition top this many young people who are charged with an initial offence never commit any further offences, even without any formal intervention early intervention practice with its welfare based focus continues to be at the heart of Scottish policy and legislation relating to children and young people. Relevant legislation and policy is listed below:

• The Kilbrandon Report, 1964, underpinned the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and established the Children’s Hearing System in Scotland, which emphasised the importance of early intervention to prevent the development of future problems, linking these needs of children and young people who offend and those in need of care.
• There is an underlying theme of early intervention within the Children’s (Scotland) Act, 1995 with its focus on minimum intervention, no formal intervention unless this is in the best needs of the child (known as the ‘no order’ principle) and the focus on providing support to children in need.
• Scotland’s Action Programme to Reduce Crime, 2002 encompassed Effective Early Intervention and Prevention as an opportunity to address the underlying problems of children and young people who offend at an earlier stage
• The Anti Social Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act, 2004 introduced a second system of early intervention with children and young people considered to be involved in anti social behaviour as outlined in Chapter 1.
• The Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) programme which has been developed since 2006 emphasises the ethos of Kilbrandon within current youth justice policy. It draws on the themes that intervention should be appropriate, proportionate and timely. Its priorities underpin early and effective intervention:
• acting early on concerns or in response to a crisis to prevent escalation or deterioration;
• recognising children and family pressures, building on strengths;
• promoting the child’s resilience;
• children’s plans and activities should be linked to outcomes
• Preventing Offending by Young People; a Framework for Action 2008 emphasises that continuum of support from universal provision through to specialist targeted provision most effectively meets the needs of children, young people and families at different ages and stages across the life course. Equal weighting is given to Early and Effective Intervention as to the other three themes of Prevention, Managing High Risk and Victims and Community Confidence.
• A Multi Agency Early and Effective Intervention Implementation Guidance 2009 presents practice guidance to professionals from all agencies who work with children who are beginning to offend or whose problematic behaviour is resulting in processes which indicate that they may be at significant risk of becoming involved in offending. It presents a multi agency implementation model to assess the needs of children and young people who start to offend and divert them away from statutory measures of care through decisions that enhance the wellbeing of the child or young person rather than increasing the risk of future offending.