New vulnerability index aims to drive earlier support for at-risk children

A major new data-driven initiative aiming to reshape how vulnerable children, families, and women are supported across England has been launched by Centre for Young Lives.

Backed by funding from The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls, the project will develop a reimagined “Vulnerability Index” designed to provide the most comprehensive national picture to date of children and young people at risk—particularly those who remain “invisible” to services and receive no formal support.

The Index will underpin a new flagship research hub, the Early Intervention Evidence, Policy and Impact Centre (EI-EPIC), which will combine large-scale data analysis, policy research, economic modelling and advocacy to influence decision-making across Whitehall, Westminster and local government.

The initiative builds on earlier work led by Anne Longfield, who originally developed the Vulnerability Index between 2015 and 2019. The updated version will again draw together multiple national datasets to quantify the scale and nature of vulnerability among children in England, but with a stronger emphasis on prevention and early support.

Initially based on national-level data, the Index will later expand to include localised profiles, enabling councils, integrated care systems and voluntary sector organisations to better understand patterns of need in their communities and track how they change over time.

The Centre intends the Index to become the primary dataset for those seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people, supported by an annual “State of the Nation” report offering a detailed, data-led assessment of childhood vulnerability.

The first phase of the project will focus on women and girls, reflecting evidence that they face overlapping risks including poverty, poor mental and physical health, abuse, exploitation and limited access to opportunities.

A key strand of the work will explore how Women’s Centres can be better integrated into early intervention systems, including Family Hubs and Young Futures programmes. The Centre plans to work with local authorities and community providers to develop more joined-up models of support, alongside learning events to share best practice across services.

The launch comes against the backdrop of ongoing concerns about the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s wellbeing.

The Centre argues that while the pandemic exposed deep inequalities, many of these challenges have since intensified. Despite government initiatives aimed at reducing child poverty, improving inclusion in education and reforming children’s social care, high levels of vulnerability persist.

At the same time, the organisation warns that political attention has drifted away from vulnerable children, even as pressures on public services, community cohesion and long-term economic growth continue to build.

A central aim of EI-EPIC is to make the economic case for investing earlier in children and families. The Centre highlights a significant imbalance in public spending over the past decade, with early intervention funding falling sharply while spending on crisis services has increased.

Analysis by the Children’s Commissioner’s Office previously found that almost half of local authority spending on children was directed towards a small proportion with the highest needs, while only a limited share was invested in preventative services.

The new programme will seek to influence the HM Treasury to support a shift towards needs-led, preventative approaches—reducing long-term costs while improving outcomes for children.

Haroon Chowdry, chief executive of the Centre for Young Lives, said: “The number of children with additional needs or living in vulnerable circumstances remains far too high, and in many cases these needs have intensified since the pandemic.

“A failure to identify needs and provide early support continues to create challenges affecting not only individual children, but wider society. Not only is it wrong, but it is also unaffordable.

“An evidence-based policy programme is urgently needed to drive the reform of public services to meet the needs of all children and young people, reduce the enormous costs of crisis responses to the taxpayer, and contribute to economic growth.

Dr Tom McNeil, chief executive of The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls, added: “As part of our wider programme of early intervention work, our new partnership with Centre for Young Lives is designed to help influence policy change for the benefit of women, girls, and children and families more widely, and support greater recognition of the role of Women’s Centres in the early intervention service ecosystem.

“We cannot tackle the challenges faced by women and girls in isolation, and this project will support greater integration and awareness across national policy and services.”