Problem Families Moved Into ‘Special Homes’

Eighteen of Burnley’s most anti-social families are to be given intensive help in a bid to stop them causing misery in communities in the area. The Family Intervention Programme, which makes up part of the Home Office-funded Respect scheme, works with families on the verge of being made homeless because of their behaviour.

Mrs Cheryl Baxter, manager of the Burnley project, says the families have been selected and work is due to begin soon. Of the 18 families, five will go into special properties where they will live by a strict set of rules and have to take part with support workers in sessions totalling 20 hours a week.

The properties in Burnley have been provided by Calico Housing and Accent North West. The remaining families will be helped by outreach workers for 10 hours a week.

Mrs Baxter, who has worked on similar projects in Blackburn and Oldham, said the key to the project is persistence and getting to the root of what is causing the anti-social behaviour.

“The behaviour is a symptom of more complicated problems at home, such as domestic violence, either historically or currently, and mental health issues such as depression.
Many of them are single parents with several children and they see themselves as victims,” she said.

“This behaviour is deeply entrenched and it takes at least two months before it starts to change. But we give them the confidence and the energy.”