Government announce support for troubled families in England
The Government announced on 3 January 2012 a new £200 million outreach service to help England's most troubled families.
The Government says that the programme will reinforce the work already being done by local authorities and the Department for Communities and Local Government, and represents the Government's second major move into payment by results for the delivery of public services. The organisations delivering the support will only be paid when they make real progress in turning round the lives of members of those troubled households.
The new programme is being delivered by a mix of public, private and voluntary sector organisations, with the majority of the work being delivered on the ground by local charitable groups. This follows on from the Prime Minister's announcement on 15 December 2011 that turning around the lives of 120,000 of the most troubled families is a top priority for the Government
Based on the same principles as the Work Programme, providers will be paid by results. The support offered will include the following:
- Skills to help people find work such as CV writing, job preparation, timekeeping, problem solving.
- Tackling family issues - support for parenting, role models, support for needs children may have, working with schools.
- Social and economic issues - debt management, money management, how to look for work.
- Health and housing issues - alcohol or drug abuse, working with health agencies, issues around accommodation.
- Helping those who are in work to stay in work and progress.
- Identifying suitable employment opportunities and helping people get into work.
- Helping to move people into the Work Programme.
Details of the organisations delivering support are on the Department for Work and Pensions website.
