Troubled families back on right track

OVER 540 troubled Oldham families in Oldham have turned their lives round, according to new figures.

The Government’s Troubled Families programme has helped change the lives of 6,889 families in Greater Manchester and nearly 15,000 households across the region.

Local numbers have risen since last month, when 428 troubled families in Oldham had been helped.

Dedicated council teams are now working with 99 per cent of those homes identified as having multiple problems, including truancy, youth crime, anti-social behaviour and worklessness and would otherwise cost taxpayers an estimated £75,000 per year.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: “The programme demonstrates exactly what our long-term economic plan means for people.

“It’s an amazing programme and we’re going to extend its reach as far as possible.”

Success for a troubled family can mean children being back in school, youth crime and anti-social behaviour cut across the whole family or an adult in the home moved off benefits and into work for three months or more.

Up to 40,000 additional families are now being helped by dedicated workers in this financial year in the highest-performing areas.