An £8m programme to help over 2,000 troubled Leeds families who each cost the taxpayer an average of £75,000 a year is launched today.
Families First Leeds, an initiative funded through the Government’s Troubled Families scheme, will tackle antisocial behaviour, improve school attendance and support parents to get into work over the next three years.
Louise Casey, director general of the national Trouble Families team, was in Leeds as the keynote speaker at the launch.
She said: “In Leeds there are 2,190 families who will be targeted to get help to change.
“Local services like police, health and schools spend a large amount of time and money dealing with the problems these families have and cause ... and that’s without getting to the root causes of their problems and helping them change for good. For the benefit of these families and for taxpayers in Leeds, this can’t go on.
“Leeds City Council have grabbed this opportunity with both hands – to use the new funding on offer to really get to grips with troubled families.”
Over 130 people from a range of organisations working with troubled families – including police, health workers, probation staff, teachers and housing officials – were gathering at the John Charles Centre for Sport for the launch.
Coun Judith Blake, chairman of Families First Leeds programme board and executive member for children’s services, said: “This is an ambitious programme offering the opportunity to improve outcomes for our most vulnerable families. With this funding we will be able to help families tackle the root of their problems, which can too often spiral out of control and affect future generations.”
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