Newcastle Labour

A City Labour Councillor this week praised the Government and agencies for its work in tackling ‘problem families’ living in ‘challenging circumstances’.
According to information obtained from City Councillor Stephen Lambert the Government’s Family Intervention Programme is proving successful in giving ‘intensive, hard-edged support’ to 29 families across the City with a marked reduction in anti-social behaviour.
Councillor Stephen Lambert, Labour’s spokesman on Community Safety said: “For years some neighbourhoods in the city have been plagued by a small minority of families from hell who make their lives a misery with noise and anti social behaviour.  Tough Government action in the form of the Family Intervention Project seems to be having positive results in reducing this bad behaviour”.
The Family Intervention project started three years ago as part of the Labour Government’s Respect Policy.  The chief aim of the programme is to tackle families who are responsible for most of the anti social behaviour by changing their behaviour.
The 29 city families are expected to sign up to a tough programme of long term and intensive support involving the police, social workers, YHN staff and Children’s Services.  In all cases where the families have engaged with the FIP there has been a reduction in anti social conduct.
“Although crime is down in the city there are still problems of concern such as anit social behaviour involving ‘problem families’.  To tackle the root causes it’s pleasing that the Government will increase the number of families supported by Family Intervention Projects, giving intensive hard edged support to those families that need it”. Councillor Lambert added.