Professionals working in early intervention have believed for a long time that resources directed towards meeting the needs of young children will be repaid in full in the long term. Early intervention programs are based on the assumption that support in the early years of life is both economic and moral. However, there are a range of different approaches used world wide to support young children and their families. This paper reviews the different models of early intervention and discusses the differing outcomes of these models. As we move more and more into an economic rationalist world in Australia, it is important those in the field of early intervention are clear about what they want to achieve in order to justify their approach to a sceptical world in which every dollar spent is closely scrutinised.
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