THURROCK Council is to spend nearly £400,000 on a intervention programme for challenged families.

The council has been given the funds to spend over three years by the Government.

The programme will be aimed at families with children who have poor school attendance, where there is anti-social behaviour, or where the parents are out of work, and will aim to support and chellenge them to change their circumstances.

Council chief executive, Graham Farrant, was invited to Downing Street for the launch of the national programme.

He said: “Mr Farrant said: “These families cost society money in many different ways and this is an opportunity to invest now, to save costs in the longer term as well as maximising the potential for families, our residents, to have a better life.

“The money will be used to co-ordinate the efforts of all partners to drive real and sustainable change for the families who need support and challenge to get their lives back on track.”

The council will be working with partners to deliver a programme of intervention tailored to the specific challeneges of each individual family.

It will get the funds in April, and future funding will be performance-related, depending on the success of the council’s programme.