| The Prime Minister visited Action Scotland’s Dundee Families Project in 2007 and was so impressed with what he saw he even made it the subject of a chapter in his book, Britain’s Everyday Heroes.
As the Tele went to press today Mr Brown was expected to use his speech in Birmingham to announce £36 million of additional funding to roll out similar projects across the country.
Under the proposals, any parent of a child issued with an ASBO will automatically be subject to a parenting order requiring them to go to a project.
In the book Mr Brown writes, “When I visited Dundee to see the family intervention at work, I was struck by how the project’s success was rooted in the relationship that is built up by staff and families.”
He also told of a single mother-of-two called Lisa who was in danger of losing her children before the intervention of project staff.
“Now Lisa is taking pride in her children and is planning a career as a care worker,” he wrote.
Family Intervention Projects deliver what the Government terms “intensive, one-on-one, hard-edged support” for families where drugs, drink, bad parenting and persistent joblessness are a problem.
“By cracking down on bad behaviour and preventing trouble escalating, family intervention partnerships could save Britain up to £3 billion in the long run,” he said.
Dundee West’s Labour MP Jim McGovern today said he was “very proud” that the project had made such an impact on the Prime Minister.
“I have also visited the FIP project in Dundee as a member of the Scottish Affairs Committee and was very impressed at their efforts and indeed, success in turning the lives around of families whose lifestyles could only be described as chaotic.
“I am very proud that a Dundee project is doing so well to merit being included in the Prime Minister’s speech today, and I hope the project will continue to thrive and change lives.”
Despite intense opposition to the Dundee Families Project when it was in its planning stages, its success led to similar projects being set up all over Scotland.
A Dundee City Council spokesman said, “The council in Dundee was instrumental in setting up the pioneering project as a way of doing something positive to address unacceptable tenant behaviour and to work with families to sort out difficulties.” |
