Eamonn Coghlan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and know she has a lot of interest in the topic of early intervention.

In 1240 Henry de Bracton, the English jurist, said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." There have been numerous outstanding studies and reports written on the subject of early intervention and related matters. The Start Strong document, The Economics of Children's Early Years, focused on the costs and benefits of early care and education in Ireland. Of the amounts of public money spent on children and families, only 20% goes towards early childhood services for those aged 0-5 years, 37% for those in the middle years, six-11 years, and 44% for in the later years, 12-17 years. Our spending on services for young children is weak by international standards, especially for the very youngest, as a large proportion of social expenditure on young children takes the form of cash benefits rather than services.

A report by Dr. Orla Doyle from University College Dublin's Geary Institute on early educational investment as an economic recovery strategy concluded there were high returns on early investment. For every ¤1 invested, the State receives ¤29 back in benefits which include lower crime rates, less social intervention, better health and employment prospects.

As a parent, grandparent and athletics coach, I believe I am fully qualified to know the benefits of early intervention in the development of physical literacy and fundamental movement skills from a very young age. These aid the development of literacy and numeracy skills, too. I am at an advanced stage with the Department of Education and Skills in developing my Points for Life initiative which I hope will be introduced as a pilot scheme into primary schools in the coming year. The aim of the programme is to develop physical literacy and fundamental movement skills in primary schoolchildren from a young age in order that they will have the competency and skills necessary to become active young people, be more likely to take part in sports activities and remain active throughout their lives.

While the Points for Life initiative is aimed at primary schools, these fundamental skills should be introduced to children from birth. Parents and caregivers should be taught the importance of developing physical literacy skills. They should also fully understand the benefits of having active young toddlers and children. Teaching the fundamentals of physical literacy should be introduced in the preschool environment. This is because the capacity for change decreases with age and it is more efficient, both biologically and economically, to get it right the first time rather than try to fix it later. Exposure to high levels of physical stress early in life can affect the architecture of the developing brain.

The Canadian model, HOP, Healthy Opportunities for Preschoolers, has introduced several initiatives, together with guidelines for parents on developing physical literacy in children aged 0-12 years. HOP is based on the belief all children benefit from daily physical activity that promotes health-related fitness and movement skills. It is important that individuals responsible for the well-being of preschool children are aware of the value of physical activity and help to facilitate each child's movement experiences.

More and more children are spending time in the care of others. A care environment in which caregivers can play an active role can positively shape children's futures and is an ideal place for most physical activity to take place.

The recent report, Growing Up in Ireland, produced some startling findings, among them that 26% of nine year olds were found to have a body mass index outside the healthy range, of whom 19% were defined as obese. The very young are remarkably eager to learn and we can start to teach fundamental movement skills from a young age, literally from birth through to six years. This could lay the foundations for future success in developing these skills.

Starting the process at young preschool ages enhances the development of brain function, co-ordination, social skills, motor skills, emotional development, leadership and imagination. It also helps children to build confidence and develop positive self-esteem. Needless to say, it also helps to build strong bones and muscles, improve flexibility, develop good posture, improve fitness, promote a healthy body weight and reduce stress. I realise I am under constraints of time, but I believe in the benefits of this approach having seen my children and grandchildren develop basic motor and movement skills at a young age and how advanced they have become as young adults and adults. It starts from the ground up and starting this work at preschool stage is an important way of advancing all of these health-related issues.