In a speech today, Prime Minister David Cameron announced the immediate expansion of the Troubled Families programme, with work beginning in 50 local authority areas before spreading across the country.
Under the initiative, local authority teams work intensively with families that have one of seven key risk factors, including children missing school, long-term unemployment and involvement in crime.
The scheme was launched in April 2012 with the aim of turning around the lives of 120,000 by April 2015.
Latest figures, announced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles in July, show that the programme has helped just 52,833 families achieve long-term change.
The extension of the scheme is one of range of measures announced by Cameron as part of efforts to provide greater support for families.
He also brought forward the introduction of the £19.3m Adoption Support Fund, which was recently piloted in ten local authority areas, to next month.
The fund, which had been earmarked to start next year, is intended to help local authorities provide therapeutic services such as cognitive therapy, play and music therapy, and intensive family support, to try to help adopted children recover from previous experiences.
Cameron also announced plans for a "family test" on all government policies, measuring their potential impact on families.
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