William Eichler 20 December 2016

No ‘evidence’ Troubled Families programme works, MPs say

The Government has ‘overstated’ the effectiveness of the program designed to deal with disadvantaged families and has been ‘evasive’ in its dealings with MPs, committee report says.

The Troubled Families programme was established in 2012 by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) with the aim of ‘turning around’ the lives of 120,000 disadvantaged families.

The Government argued that by helping these families they could reduce the financial burden they placed on public services.

However, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published a report today which accuses Whitehall of overstating the programme’s success through the use of terminology and its method for estimating financial savings.

The DCLG considered families to be 'turned around' on the basis of short-term outcomes rather than ‘long-term, sustainable change in families' lives’, the PAC found. The committee also reported the Government’s claim the programme had saved £1.2bn was an ‘overstatement’.

An official evaluation of the programme was ‘unable to find consistent evidence’ it had any significant impact, the committee concluded.

The PAC report also chastised the Government for delaying the publication of the programme’s phase one evaluation, which was commissioned to assess the programme's impact, cost-effectiveness and implementation, and being ‘evasive’ in explaining why.

‘The Department was evasive when explaining the reasons for this delay, furthering the impression that Government is reluctant to be open and transparent about the Troubled Families programme,’ it said.

The DCLG should also review its use of a 'payment by results' framework for the programme, the committee urged. It ‘led to some councils attempting to move families through the programme quickly, potentially at the expense of reduced quality of support.’

‘Government officials might be inclined to consider our comments on the delay in publishing its Troubled Families evaluation as a slap on the wrist about Whitehall bureaucracy,’ said Meg Hillier MP, chair of the PAC.

‘Let me assure them that given the ambitions for this programme, the implications for families and the significant sums of money invested, it is far more serious than that.’

‘The Department has now committed to providing Parliament with an annual report on progress with the Troubled Families programme, starting in March next year,’ Ms Hillier continued.

‘For this to be meaningful Government must be far clearer about the benefits that can be directly attributed to the public investment in it.

‘Only then can Parliament and others properly assess the value for money of this programme and its merits as a model to bring about lasting change in the lives of those families it is intended to support.’

Senior civil servants defended the programme last October, telling the PAC there had been improvements in 116,000 families but it was difficult to prove ‘beyond statistical doubt’ that success could be ascribed to the programme.

A Government spokesman said: 'As the PAC report recognises, the Troubled Families programme enabled local authorities to expand and transform the way local services work with families.

'But of course, there will always be lessons to learn and we have already made significant improvements to the second stage of the programme.

'We will look carefully at the evidence to find out how we can improve the programme further to help some of the most vulnerable people in our society.'

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Family Support Worker

Durham County Council
Grade 6 - £27,269 - £30,060 (Pay award pending)
Do you have a real passion for helping families to make positive changes for themselves and their children? This might be the right role for you!   WH Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Clerical Officer Receptionist

Durham County Council
Grade 3 £24,404 - £25,183 Pro Rata to hours worked Pay award pending
WHAT IS INVOLVED? We are looking to appoint a part time Clerical officer/Receptionist within Business Services to provide a professional, effective a Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Administration Assistant

Durham County Council
£25,584 - £27,711 pro rata
Administration Assistant Grade 5    £25,584 - £27,711 pro rata Temporary – required from 1st October 2025 until 31 December 2025 37 hours per week, Te Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Support Assistant

Durham County Council
£24,027 pro rata
Support Assistant Grade 1 £24,027 pro rata Temporary – required from 1st October 2025 until 31st October 2026 Part Time, 32.5 hours Mon - Fri 9am -4pm Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Lecturer in Foundation Learning -Maths, English and Digital

Durham County Council
Grade 9 £34,314 - £37,938 pro rata for part-time term time working PAY AWARD PENDING
The DurhamLearn Foundation Learning programme area delivers Digital Skills, English and Maths Functional Skills.   An opportunity has arisen for a Lec Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner