The reach of early intervention: a case study of a Sure Start programme

Early intervention is part of policy concerning educational, health and social inequalities but whether programmes reach those for whom they are intended is under-researched. This article reports on a case study of one programme within the national Sure Start initiative in England, 1999-2005. Reach was conceptualised as having two aspects: contact and use. It was found that, conceptualised as contact, programme reach was virtually 100%. Conceptualised as use, it varied according to services within the programme and to some extent according to family characteristics. The relatively more disadvantaged families were reached almost as much as other families. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.