We need to get in early!

We need to get in early!

At Included Education Solutions, we believe that if we truly want to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, we cannot afford to wait until problems become crises. A new large-scale study (Kent et al., 2025) reinforces what we already know: the risks are visible in early childhood, and proactive support is essential. This is something as experienced leaders in education we have seen first hand.

The evidence tells us:

• Over 500,000 children in England were tracked from age 4/5 to age 15/16.
• Children with lower early developmental scores (social, language, cognitive, physical) were more likely to receive a caution or conviction in adolescence.
• Poverty (measured by Free School Meals eligibility) was strongly linked to youth justice involvement.
• And critically: the combination of poverty + developmental delay created a “double disadvantage” — multiplying risks far beyond either factor alone.

Why this matters:

• These pathways don’t start with secondary school exclusions. They are visible in early childhood.
• Children with unmet neurodevelopmental needs are more likely to struggle in school, face exclusion, and end up in Alternative Provision.
• Poverty compounds barriers, making it harder for families to access the right support.
• This is not about children being “predisposed to crime” – it is about structural inequities in education, welfare, and justice systems that criminalise vulnerability.

What needs to change:

• We must intervene earlier – supporting children, families, and communities long before crisis points.
• Investment in early years support, SEND provision, and anti-poverty measures is not optional. It’s essential if we want to prevent children from being funnelled into the justice system

The evidence is clear. If we are serious about inclusions, equity, safety, and opportunity, we must stop being reactive and start being proactive. We must start ensuring that our children, and their families, feel a sense of belonging.

At Included Education Solutions, we work with schools, local authorities, and community organisations to put early, proactive, and inclusive support in place. From workforce training to tailored interventions, we help ensure children’s needs are met before disadvantage escalates.

If you’re ready to break cycles of exclusion and create systems that work for children rather than against them, let’s talk. Together, we can build the proactive solutions this evidence demands.