It's not the first time this promise has been given. However, the launchof a new Government taskforce, coupled with an imminent green paper onchildren in care and the teenage pregnancy strategy, will demonstratethat solutions are being sought on this issue. And all will concentrateon identifying those most at risk and focusing on specific hard-to-reachgroups.
No one can underestimate the work that needs to be done to break thecycle of disadvantage that many families experience. As we know,persistent disadvantage passing between generations has resisted manypast efforts.
But the increasing number of successful programmes show earlyintervention, coupled with long-term joined-up support for families, canhave dramatic and life-changing impacts.
NCH's intensive family support programmes have been designed to helpfamilies break free from negative behaviour patterns. These includecriminal convictions, eviction and homelessness with, all toofrequently, vulnerable children ending up in care. Flagship programmeswith local authorities in Dundee and Salford, for example, are showingthe benefits of intensive work with families in their own homes withdedicated workers guiding them to support from across differentsectors.
NCH's Foundations project in Manchester goes a step further by providingresidential space for up to five families. Staff visit at least fourtimes a day to help families with managing behaviour and routines likeproper meals and appropriate bedtimes. The project, supported by fundingfrom the Government's Supporting People grant and Manchester CityCouncil, has been so successful that it is receiving referrals fromex-service users.
In a bid to reduce teenage pregnancy rates, Teens and Toddlers in Londonworks with 14-year-olds at risk of teen pregnancy. Paired with toddlersin their local nursery they are faced with the reality of looking aftera young child. As 97.5 per cent of participants do not go on to conceivea child while in their teens, more than 10 pilot programmes are nowunder way or completed in four London boroughs, with more planned. Andthe project has launched a sustainability strategy helping localauthorities to mainstream it.
Intensive support and prevention programmes have to become central toany strategy that reduces inequality and supports families who need themost help. Real change will require proactive and resource-intensiveapproaches like these to begin to address the immense challenges thatneed tackling.
Integrating these into wider, ongoing support for families in thecommunity, such as children centres, will be crucial.
