County plan to transform lives of 1,165 families
An initiative aimed at transforming the lives of an estimated 1,165 ‘troubled families’ in West Sussex is being planned.
It comes in the wake of the Government’s announcement of a nationwide effort to help around 120,000 families throughout the country, which West Sussex County Council signed up to.
Financial help from Whitehall is on offer, based on the success achieved.
Hayley Connor, the county’s troubled families co-ordinator, told a meeting of the West Sussex joint commissioning board on Thursday (October 18) that these were families which experienced multiple disadvantage – crime, anti-social behaviour, children not attending school, workless parents, domestic violence and health problems.
At Friday’s meeting of the county council, Peter Evans (Con, East Preston), cabinet member for children and families, said: “The challenge for West Sussex is the volume of families requiring a service. West Sussex is one of only 22 areas, out of 152, required to turn around 1,000 families.
“However, I am satisfied the council has a clear direction and broad plan, the details of which are still being worked up to deal with this number by March, 2015, and to start work with 388 families during this financial year.”
The county’s ‘think family’ board and executive had agreed to adopt two priorities as local criteria for the initiative. These were families with a pregnant mother or a child under five years and families living within a ‘think family neighbourhood’.
Board chairman Michael Brown (Con, Fernhurst), cabinet member for finance and resources, said there was wholehearted support for the initiative, and the cabinet was 100 per cent behind it.
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Weather for Crawley
Thursday 23 May 2013
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Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 12 C
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