ABSTRACT
The story of Darren makes visible the lines of tension within early intervention work and raises many questions about the efficacy of such work and the political discourses and assumptions embedded in a policy. The question of early intervention, its purpose, value, and application, currently forms part of a controversial debate within education. Some writers contest its efficacy and view it as a form of governance and control. The Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) report identified shortcomings in the Scottish education system that "progressively excluded" the weaker pupils who commonly came from poorer backgrounds. Rescuing young children from poverty, inequality, and social ills is nothing new in Scottish education. Heckman's work is based on a longitudinal study known as the High Scope Perry Preschool project that began in the US in the 1960s. The advantages for social and economic outcomes have been grasped by governments across the world seeking to reduce costs and benefit from a more socially adjusted populace.
