City Projects Having A Big Impact On Anti-Social Behaviour

Projects run by Aberdeen City Council and its partners are having a major impact on anti-social behaviour and disorder in the city, a report due before councillors next week reveals. The paper, which will be considered by the Community Services committee, reviews progress made to date and updates members on work underway in the city to combat nuisance behaviour.

It identifies particular success for Community Wardens and in tackling neighbour complaints, racially motivated incidents and drunk and incapable incidents. However, officers also recommend a renewed focus on issues around the misuse of motorcycles and public urination.

The Scottish Executive requires all local authorities to produce a Local outcome Agreement which looks at the work of the local Community Safety Partnership in reducing anti-social behaviour between 2005 and 2008.  Future funding  – £1.9 million in 2007/08 – is dependent on progress.

Aberdeen’s update reveals that, in the last year, there were reductions in anti-social behaviour linked to the home – with the Neighbour Complaints Unit recording a 12% reduction in complaints and neighbour dispute calls to Grampian Police reduced by 11%.

Racially aggravated conduct and harassment charges fell by 6.5% across the city – with reductions of more than 50% in four Community Warden areas. The use of ASBOs has directly contributed to a 58% fall in Tillydrone and Woodside alone.

There was a 9% reduction in recorded drunk and incapable incidents across the city – 48% in the Northfield and Cummings Park Community Warden areas.

Recorded vandalism incidents have reduced in all first-round funded Community Warden areas.

Figures also show the increasing effectiveness of how Anti-social Behaviour Orders are used in Aberdeen. Despite and increasing number of ASBOs, the number breached during the year fell from 57% to 24% and the total number of breaches fell by 8%.

The city is also leading Scotland in the use of many new powers, including dispersal of groups, closure of premises, seizure of vehicles and noise nuisance.

Aberdeen City Council is one of the first local authorities in Scotland to adopt a pioneering approach that has been shown to help families rebuild their lives and live in peace with their neighbours.

In June 2005, the Aberdeen Families Project was set up to work alongside families, managing their behaviour, as part of the city’s wider Anti-social behaviour Strategy.

The new project offers an entire family intensive assessment and housing support, in response to their behaviour. Typically, families referred to the service are under threat of eviction or legal enforcement action, with the risk that their children could be taken into care.

Staff work intensively with families to examine and change behaviour patterns that are causing problems. Support is offered on an individual, family and groupwork basis. Crucially, this is a multi-agency approach, involving any number of professionals who have contact with the family.

To take part, families must acknowledge their part in any anti-social behaviour and make a commitment to change.

Aberdeen Families Project is managed by the children’s charity NCH and based on its highly successful Dundee Families Project and the advice of the Home Office Respect Task Force.

There are three main strands to the project – outreach support and intensive residential support in dispersed accommodation and a core block.

Currently, the project is exceeding all targets, working with 14 families on an outreach basis from its temporary home and a further two in dispersed accommodation.

The core block – a residential unit capable of providing 24-hour assessment and support for three families displaying the most difficult anti-social behaviour – is expected to be operational from September.

The project has a staff team of seven, recruited from a variety of professional backgrounds, and bringing with them a wealth of experience and knowledge in supporting families with challenging behaviours. 

Family issues being tackled by the team are wide and varied – including drug and alcohol misuse, mental health, learning disabilities, poor parenting and social skills, school exclusions and expulsions, chaotic lifestyles, poor housing history or repeated homelessness applications.

Referrals are accepted from professional agencies, but also families themselves. To date, referrals have primarily come from Council housing and social work teams, but also via the Children’s Reporter and the project’s own links with the city’s Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy and Youth Justice review forums.

New services approved for 2005/06 include funding an Anti-social Behaviour Inspector, Constable, Analyst, van and overtime budget at Grampian Police;  employing a Community Safety Manager in each of the city’s three neighbourhoods, and neighbourhood budgets to allow teams to roll-out small-scale initiatives in response to local issues.