Councils will develop parenting work to tackle antisocial behaviour, announces minister

Twenty councils have been asked to develop detailed proposals to pilot parenting courses to tackle antisocial behaviour, children’s minister Beverley Hughes announced today.

She told an Institute for Public Policy Research conference that families involved in antisocial behaviour often had “complex problems in their lives”, including mental health problems and drug misuse.

The councils’ proposals will focus on targeted support for parents with children aged eight to 13 who are at risk of poor behaviour.

A final 15 pathfinder areas will receive a total of £10 million of funding over two years to test new programmes.

The shortlisted councils are Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove, Coventry, Croydon, Derby, Derbyshire, East Riding, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Hillingdon, Knowsley, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Southwark, Telford & Wrekin, Tower Hamlets, Trafford, West Sussex and York.