Dominic Browne 27 April 2012

Councils officials should ‘roll up their sleeves’ to help troubled families

Council officials must become more involved in the lives of the people they work with - and to not just ‘monitor decline’.

The head of the Government’s ‘troubled families’ unit, Louise Casey, has urged town hall officials to start ‘rolling up their sleeves and getting down and cleaning the floors’ or arrive at 7am to get families out of bed and children to school on time.

Speaking at an event hosted by the charity 4Children, Ms Casey expressed regret that previous Whitehall projects she had set up to tackle anti-social behaviour had now closed.

She dismissed as ineffectual officials who simply turn up with ‘clipboards’, and who ‘don’t make any difference’ to the families they monitor – and suggested the kind of practical help council officials could provide to families they visit.

‘If a family needs to be shown how to heat up a pizza, show them how to do it,’ she said, emphasising how much money could be saved by early interventions.

Ms Casey, who works from the Department for Communities and Local Government, has been asked by David Cameron to help turn around the lives of 120,000 of the most troubled families in England.

The unit’s objectives focus on improving employment prospects for parents, getting children to schools and reducing the number of police interventions in family lives.

Under the £1.2bn three-year programme, local authorities will receive funding on a payment by results basis, which rewards measurable progress against objectives.

The £37,000 SEND Problem image

The £37,000 SEND Problem

Natalie Kenneison, COO at Imosphere, argues that the real SEND funding crisis isn’t just about budgets - it’s about the systems behind the decisions.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

PRINCIPAL TRANSPORT PLANNING OFFICER

Hull City Council
£43693 - £46731
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team in Hull as a Principal Transport Planning Officer. Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Recuriter: Hull City Council

HIGHWAYS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEER - 4 POSTS

Hull City Council
£43693 - £46731
We have several exciting opportunities for suitably qualified Highways Civil Engineers and Traffic Engineers Wilson Centre, 1st floor, Hull HU1 2AG
Recuriter: Hull City Council

Strategic Director, Finance and Resources (S.151 Officer)

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
£110,799 - £120,706
Blackburn with Darwen is a distinctive, welcoming and vibrant borough with a strong identity and a genuine buzz about the place. Blackburn, Lancashire
Recuriter: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Residential Worker, Edge of Care Service

Durham County Council
Grade 7 £29,093 - £32,654 PAY AWARD PENDING
Join a Groundbreaking Team Supporting Families in Seaham Salary
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Bikeability Cycling Instructor

Durham County Council
Grade 4 £24,790 to £25,992 pro rata (Pay Award Pending)
The Road Safety Team are keen to recruit additional Casual Bikability Instructors to join our team of instructors delivering Bikeability cycle trainin Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner