Introduction

Cyflwyniad

Early intervention is identifying and providing effective support at an early stage to children and young people who have been identified as having difficulties and challenges that may affect their development. By intervening at an early stage, support can be provided before symptoms develop to prevent symptoms becoming more serious and to prevent problems from becoming entrenched.

Risk factors could include poverty, home environment, problems in school, substance misuse, domestic violence, disability or learning need.

There are many different forms of interventions available:

  • home visiting programmes
  • mentoring schemes
  • school-based programmes
  • 1:1 support
  • General Practitioners.

Early intervention should be considered a shared responsibility with all professionals sharing expertise and information to support and work together with a child or young person and their family. By working together, outcomes for children and young people are improved.

Benefits to partnership working:

  • parents feel valued and engaged
  • professionals benefit from parents’ knowledge and expertise about their children
  • children benefit from consistent approaches and feel secure
  • professionals share expertise and information.

Effective interventions and support can improve the life chances of children and young people, reducing risk factors and increasing protection. Early intervention can support all areas of a child or young person’s physical, behavioural, cognitive, social and emotional development.

There are a number of reasons why early intervention is important:

  • Some problems (e.g. with speech or behaviour) may emerge while children are very young. If they receive help at an early stage, the impact on their overall development is reduced.
  • Children’s brain development can be impaired by poor experiences in the early years. Interactions and experiences in the early years have a long-term impact.
  • There are critical periods in a child’s development when issues can be resolved. If these are missed problems, they may become more complex and difficult to resolve with a financial implication for services.

In Wales, the early years are one of the cross cutting themes in Prosperity for All:

‘We want children from all backgrounds to have the best start in life. Our aim is that everyone will have the opportunity to reach their full potential and maximise their chances of leading a healthy, prosperous and fulfilling adulthood, enabling them to participate fully in communities, the workplace, and contribute to the future economic success of Wales.

There is substantial evidence to suggest that delivering the right support for all children, particularly those from deprived backgrounds, is the best means of breaking the poverty cycle, and raising the aspiration and attainment for everyone.’

Together for Children and Young People in Wales (T4CYP), which is led by the NHS, refers to a windscreen model of prevention, protection and provision.

https://www.goodpractice.wales/t4cyp

Children and young people’s well-being is also supported by early intervention strategies developed by the probation service. They target youth groups from particular postcode areas based on historical postcodes of convicted offenders, helping to change life choices and improve life chances.

Ystyr ymyrryd yn gynnar yw nodi a rhoi cymorth effeithiol ar gam cynnar i blant a phobl ifanc y nodwyd bod ganddynt anawsterau a heriau a all effeithio ar eu datblygiad. Drwy ymyrryd yn gynnar, gellir rhoi cymorth cyn i symptomau ddatblygu, er mwyn atal symptomau rhag mynd yn fwy difrifol ac atal problemau rhag ymwreiddio.

Gallai'r ffactorau risg gynnwys: tlodi, amgylchedd cartref, problemau yn yr ysgol, camddefnyddio sylweddau, trais domestig, anabledd neu anghenion dysgu.

Mae llawer o wahanol fathau o ymyriadau ar gael:

  • rhaglenni ymweld â'r cartref
  • cynlluniau mentora
  • rhaglenni yn yr ysgol
  • cymorth un i un
  • meddygon teulu.

Dylid ystyried bod ymyrryd yn gynnar yn gyfrifoldeb a rennir, gyda'r holl weithwyr proffesiynol yn rhannu arbenigedd a gwybodaeth er mwyn cefnogi a chydweithio â phlentyn neu berson ifanc a'i deulu. Drwy gydweithio, bydd canlyniadau i blant a phobl ifanc yn gwella.

Manteision gweithio mewn partneriaeth:

  • bydd y rhieni'n teimlo eu bod yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi a'u cynnwys
  • bydd y gweithwyr proffesiynol yn cael budd o wybodaeth ac arbenigedd y rhieni mewn perthynas â'u plant
  • bydd y plant yn cael budd o ddulliau gweithredu cyson ac yn teimlo'n ddiogel
  • bydd y gweithwyr proffesiynol yn rhannu arbenigedd a gwybodaeth.

Gall ymyriadau a chymorth effeithiol wella cyfleoedd plant a phobl ifanc mewn bywyd, gan leihau ffactorau risg a chynnig mwy o amddiffyniad. Gall ymyrryd yn gynnar gefnogi pob agwedd ar ddatblygiad corfforol, ymddygiadol, gwybyddol, cymdeithasol ac emosiynol plentyn neu berson ifanc.

Mae nifer o resymau pam mae'n bwysig ymyrryd yn gynnar:

  • Gall rhai problemau (e.e. lleferydd neu ymddygiad) ddod i'r amlwg pan fydd plant yn ifanc iawn. Os cânt gymorth yn gynnar, bydd yr effaith ar eu datblygiad cyffredinol yn lleihau.
  • Gall profiadau gwael yn y blynyddoedd cynnar amharu ar ddatblygiad ymennydd plant. Mae rhyngweithiadau a phrofiadau yn y blynyddoedd cynnar yn cael effaith hirdymor.
  • Ceir cyfnodau allweddol yn ystod datblygiad plentyn pan ellir datrys problemau. Os caiff problemau eu colli, gallant fynd yn fwy cymhleth ac yn anodd eu datrys, gan arwain at oblygiadau ariannol i wasanaethau.

Yng Nghymru, y blynyddoedd cynnar yw un o'r themâu trawsbynciol yn Ffyniant i Bawb:

‘Rydym am i blant o bob cefndir gael y dechrau gorau mewn bywyd. Ein nod yw sicrhau bod pawb yn cael cyfle i gyflawni eu potensial yn llawn a chael y cyfle gorau posibl i fyw bywyd iach, ffyniannus a llawn fel oedolion, gan eu galluogi i gymryd rhan yn llawn mewn cymunedau, yn y gweithle, a chyfrannu at lwyddiant economaidd Cymru yn y dyfodol.

Mae yna dystiolaeth sylweddol i awgrymu mai darparu’r cymorth priodol i bob plentyn, yn enwedig plant sydd â chefndir o amddifadedd, yw’r ffordd orau o dorri’r cylch tlodi, a chodi dyheadau a chyrhaeddiad i bawb.’

Mae Gyda'n Gilydd dros Blant a Phobl Ifanc yng Nghymru (T4CYP), a arweinir gan y GIG, yn cyfeirio at fodel sgrin wynt o atal, amddiffyn a darparu. (https://www.goodpractice.wales/t4cyp)

Mae cefnogaeth i lesiant plant a phobl ifanc trwy strategaethau ymyrryd yn gynnar sydd wedi cael ei datblygu gan y gwasanaeth prawf. Maent yn targedu grwpiau ieuenctid o fewn ardaloedd cod post penodol sydd wedi ei seilio ar ardaloedd o fewn codau post hanesyddol troseddwyr euog, gan eu cynorthwyo i newid eu penderfyniadau a gwella eu cyfleoedd mewn bywyd.

Using NHS Wales’ windscreen model, drag the examples to the correct place on the diagram.

Gan ddefnyddio model sgrin wynt GIG Cymru, llusgwch yr enghreifftiau i'r lle cywir ar y diagram.