Support Assured for Windsor's Most Disadvantaged Families
Windsor Housing, in partnership with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, has successfully applied for a funding allocation as the Government announced a further 88 new Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) across the country and a further £2.6m of funding for local authorities to start or expand FIPs in their region. The £25,000 allocation will fund an increase in the size and range of the borough’s FIP team.
FIPs work with the most challenging families to help end cycles of anti-social behavior (ASB), drug and alcohol misuse, behavioural problems and poverty. Windsor Housing, part of Radian, has been involved with local FIPs across the borough since September and has already seen a marked change in families workers have supported.
Windsor’s FIP workers spend around eight hours a week with each family they help. Many of these families will have some tenancy breaches that put their home at risk and are often involved in persistent ASB, offending, longstanding poverty and sustained unemployment. Because FIP works with a whole family, it may tackle serious issues for a parent or older child, whilst offering early intervention and prevention for other family members, increasing the life chances of younger children.
In a joint statement, the successful applicants said, “Windsor Housing and its partners the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are pleased that the joint application for the Housing Challenge Fund has been accepted. This is an exciting and rewarding partnership to be involved with and will benefit all the community. The project confronts and support parents and children to help them change their behavior, and prevention is the best way to stop problems with families escalating and affecting their neighbours and communities.
Windsor Housing recognised the impact on families across the borough and was keen to develop the partnership, appreciating that some families living within their properties need more support in their tenancies. The partners’ aim is to prevent homelessness, reduce anti-social behaviour and to engage the families in positive activities within their communities.”
Research published in November showed that FIPs across the country were already having a similar lasting impact on the families who had been involved in them since 2007. Of the 700 families who had been through a FIP, there were reductions in families with ASB problems, domestic violence concerns and a drop in the number of family breakdowns. The key findings also showed that 66% of families are no longer involved in any ASB and a 68% reduction in families facing housing enforcement actions, such as eviction from their homes
The new Government funding is working towards their ambition for over 50,000 families experiencing the greatest problems, to receive the additional support needed over the coming years.
Dawn Primarolo, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families said, “Family Intervention Projects challenge, confront and support parents and children to help them change their behaviour for the benefit of the whole family and wider community. Prevention is the best way to stop problems with families escalating and impacting their neighbours.”
Housing Minister, John Healey, said: "Family Intervention Projects have the potential not only to change the lives of 1,200 families in need but also those of their neighbours. This funding will do just that, supporting councils and housing associations as they give families a fresh start and helping to give the wider community a new lease of life.”
