Anti-social youngsters to be placed with foster carers

Intensive parenting programmes and professional fostering are to
be piloted in a bid to change the behaviour of young people who are
causing a nuisance in their neighbourhood.

The parenting programmes, which will be introduced in 10
anti-social behaviour trailblazer areas, will use a combination of
parenting orders, injunctions and anti-social behaviour orders as
well as supervision and residential stays where necessary.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said that there would be “no
let-up” in tackling anti-social behaviour.

“Families who have either been evicted or are close to
eviction because of their behaviour will sign up to a programme to
change their behaviour. Keeping their home will be conditional on
completion of this programme,” he said.

From the end of October professional fostering is to be piloted
in Hampshire, Staffordshire and London. A government statement said
the fostering scheme would target “the most disaffected,
disengaged and excluded young people where their home environment
is a factor in their offending behaviour”. Specially trained
foster carers will be paid a salary to work with the young people
and their families.

The government also intends to introduce legislation so that the
media can report breaches of ASBOs by under 18s.

The 10 trailblazer areas are in Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol,
Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Sunderland, and
Westminster and Camden in London.