Early intervention and preventative work with children, young people and families is not a new phenomenon. It is authenticated, for example, through the introduction of Sure Start Local Area programmes which were initially established between 1999 and 2002 to support families with children aged 0-4 who resided in areas of disadvantage. Initially, 524 dedicated built children centres were established with a further 3,500 developed from 2007 onwards. Their core purpose (DE, 2012) provides outreach facilities, integrated early education, parenting programmes, child care and health care and family support services through early intervention, thus formally enshrining the professional relationships between the disciplines of health and education (Williams and Churchill, 2006)
