Early Intervention Foundation (EIF)

The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) is an independent charity established in 2013 to champion and support the use of effective early intervention to improve the lives of children and young people at risk of experiencing poor outcomes. As a member of the government’s What Works Network, EIF has a pivotal role as the go-to source for evidence and advice on effective early intervention for children and young people. Effective early intervention works to prevent problems occurring, or to tackle them head-on when they do, before problems get worse. It also helps to foster a whole set of personal strengths and skills that prepare a child for adult life. Our work focuses on the developmental issues that can arise during a child’s life, from birth to the age of 18, including their physical, cognitive, behavioural and social and emotional development. As a result, our work covers a wide range of policy and service areas, including health, education, families and policing. What do we do? EIF is a research charity, focused on promoting and enabling an evidence-based approach to early intervention. We make the case for effective early intervention, to ensure it is prioritised and invested in at both the national and local level. We conduct research, bringing together and synthesising the evidence from scientific studies, tests and evaluations of early intervention programmes and practices, and the expertise and experiences of people working in early intervention. We publish reports to disseminate the findings, conclusions and recommendations from our research, and produce resources to translate this research into practical guidance and tools. We work with government and all levels of the early intervention sector to ensure this evidence is used in decisions about how early intervention is supported and implemented, from national policy to frontline practice.