The Cost of Late Intervention
In 2024, Australia spent $22.3 billion on late interventions.
The Cost of Late Intervention in 2024 report was created to shine a light on the true economic and social cost of waiting too long to act.
It tracks spending on services designed to respond when children and families are already experiencing difficulty, for example, child protection, youth justice, unemployment support, and health crises.
Beyond the financial burden, late intervention represents missed opportunities. Children losing out on wellbeing and education, families facing ongoing hardship, and communities bearing long-term strain.
Supported by the Minderoo Foundation, this analysis builds previous work undertaken in 2019 in collaboration with the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF), now operating as Foundations, using their methodology to assess the cost of late intervention in England and Wales.
The updated report aims to helps policymakers, practitioners, and the community understand the scale of the challenge and why acting earlier is not just a moral imperative, but also a smarter economic choice.
Streamlining a Path Forward
The evidence is clear: early intervention is one of the most effective productivity strategies we have.
When governments invest in timely and targeted supports for children and families, the benefits are seen across society.
The COLI report shows how governments can reduce the cost of late intervention by:
Investing in proven early supports that prevent problems from escalating.
Funding wrap-around models that respond to families’ complex needs.
Addressing fiscal imbalance so states are not left carrying short-term costs while the Commonwealth reaps long-term benefits.
Improving data collection to better track needs, spending, and outcomes.
Every dollar spent earlier is not just a cost saving exercise. It changes lives.