A groundbreaking programme to tackle social breakdown and help families who fail at school and in the job market is showing early signs of success.

Initial findings from a survey of 18 'problem' families indicate that Westminster Council's Family Recovery programme - the only scheme of its kind in the UK - is delivering tangible results.

The survey, which focused on half of the families the council has been working with over the last six months, shows significant improvements across a number of areas including antisocial behaviour, housing, debt, education and health.

The research - which is due to be formally revealed at a Westminster summit of leading experts in social breakdown this evening (16th July) - also shows that school attendance has improved in 60% of the families, while in over 50% of the families there has been no further anti-social behaviour.

Elsewhere, almost 70% are now registered and engaging with a GP while 50% have a plan in place to clear their housing arrears.

Other findings reveal that almost 40% have now had their debt problems resolved and 50% have an improved relationship with the schools their children attend.

These families form part of the 3% of the total population in Westminster which suffer from serious breakdown. Despite their small numbers, they account for around 80% of the social care spending the council undertakes, a massive commitment to a tiny minority of people.

Many come into contact with around 20 separate agencies including the council, police and NHS. Some are also responsible for a significant proportion of local crime and disorder and suffer from low social, parenting and academic skills and unemployment.

Westminster argues that they represent a significant cost to the taxpayer in terms of welfare benefits, social care, healthcare, criminal justice and educational support and as such both the families and the public deserve a renewed effort to deliver improved outcomes for them and the community.

But by intervening early under the Family Recovery programme, the council is aiming for these families to become less dependant on such high cost services.

Instead of being given help from a variety of organisations, each family is now assigned a small team of staff, made up of professionals from across council departments, police, the NHS and the voluntary sector.

Families who take part in the scheme are required to sign an agreement setting out their responsibilities and the potential consequences of persistently refusing council support.

If these parents and young adults do make sufficient changes in behaviour, the council and its partners may in the very worse cases impose sanctions such as eviction or an antisocial behaviour order, or the family will be at risk of withdrawal of benefits and in the case of criminal acts, prison.

Cllr Brian Connell, Westminster Council's cabinet member for Economic Development and Family Policy, said: "Joint targeted action by local public services is really helping these families and these early findings are extremely encouraging. By intervening early not only can we help tackle the causes of family breakdown, we can prevent families descending into a downward spiral in the first place.

"In time we expect to see substantial benefits to the wider community in terms of better behaviour, breaking the cycle of decline and to the taxpayer in terms of releasing resources and reducing spending."

Notes to Editors

A Family Recovery summit is due to take place on Thursday July 16th at the Lord Mayor’s parlour, 18th Floor, Westminster City Hall.

It is due to be attended by 50 leaders in tackling social breakdown including Cllr Brian Connell, Westminster Council's cabinet member for Communities and Family Policy, Charlotte Pickles, Senior Policy Advisor from The Centre for Social Justice, Julie Jones, chief executive of Social Care Institute for Excellence and representatives from several councils.

Background on Family Recovery programme:

* Westminster is now working with 37 families but hopes to increase this number to around 75. This three year £1.1 million project, funded by Westminster Council and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, was launched in October 2008 and families sign up to the scheme voluntarily.

* Three families are now "closed" due to significant improvements including: reduction in offending and anti-social behaviour, new school places, better parental links with schools and housing arrears cleared.

Profile of the families working with the council:

68% of families have been or are involved with police

52% have criminal convictions

48% have an impact on their community

64% of the families’ children are at risk of statutory intervention

75% of mothers are being assessed by mental health practitioners

44% of the families have a history of domestic violence

44% of these families live in overcrowded conditions

All families exhibit risks around parenting

Almost half of the families will have children who are excluded from school and 88% attend poorly, therefore attainment is threatened to 84% of families.

ENDS

• Back to archive