The opportunity cost of not investing in prevention of childhood maltreatment is staggering.

Between 2010 and 2020, spending in England on preventive services such as parenting support, youth services and early help fell by 42% in real terms (EIF & Action for Children, 2024). The consequences are already known:

✅ More children entering care

✅ Rising child mental health crises

✅ Escalating long-term costs for councils, the NHS and the justice system.

Prevention isn’t a cost. It’s one of the best investments we can make. The economic case is overwhelming:

💷 £8–£10 return for every £1 invested in preventing child maltreatment (WSIPP; LSE; Total Place) 

💷 Over £14 returned for every £1 in primary prevention (Public Health Scotland)

💷 In 2015, failure to prevent child abuse and neglect was already costing £15 billion per year — now even higher with inflation The barrier isn’t money — it’s mindset.

'It is a rare public policy initiative that promotes fairness and social justice and, at the same time, promotes productivity in the economy and society at large. Investing in disadvantaged young children is such a policy'.

James. J. Heckman, Nobel prizewinning economist 

We don’t need entirely new funding streams.

WAVE’s partner, Cameron Consultants Limited, has developed a solution - grounded in Cameron’s 30 year track record of optimising cost structures across seven Western European countries - that simultaneously generates funding for primary prevention and alleviates long-term pressure on public services.

Senior staff in local authorities, NHS or government who are interested in finding out more, should email: [email protected] or [email protected].

Without change, more NHS Trusts and local authorities will face financial collapse. The cost of inaction is soaring. 

✅ We can do better — for children, for families, for frontline staff, for taxpayers.