The Atlantic Philanthropies' Disadvantaged Children and Youth Program in Ireland and Northern Ireland: Overview of Program Evaluation Findings.

To address the unmet needs of disadvantaged children, the Children and Youth program supports services aimed at promoting healthy development of young children, to prevent later problems by intervening early in a problem cycle, when services are less costly and may have a greater chance for success. Despite challenges, the program has been a catalyst for change in encouraging government investment in evidence-based prevention and early intervention programs, promoting evidence-based practice among service providers, and engaging the academic sector in policy-oriented research. The report includes strategies for future directions.