BOURNEMOUTH is poised to embark on the second stage of a troubled families intervention programme after successfully helping 370 families to change their lives.

The council met its target for phase one ahead of schedule, helping 370 families who were involved in crime and antisocial behaviour, had children absent from school, had an adult on out of work benefits or were causing high costs to the public purse.

Phase two, which is set to start in April, will require Bournemouth council to support almost 1,500 vulnerable families between now and 2020. The council will receive a £2.5m upfront payment and up to £1.2m performance-based pay if it can repeat its success with more troubled families.

The Government estimates that preventing an antisocial behaviour incident saves the public purse £660, preventing youth custody saves £21,672 per year, preventing a permanent school exclusion saves the state £11,405 per year and getting adults back to work has an annual saving of £10,216.

Cllr Jane Kelly, cabinet member for partnerships, regeneration and public health, said they used a holistic approach to ensure the changes were sustainable, and not merely short-term fixes.

She said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we got 100 per cent of our families turned around and ahead of schedule too. That shows how much hard work has gone on behind the scenes and with our social care staff working with families.

“The more we can help families holistically to solve their problems in a careful and controlled way, the more they can go on and enjoy their lives and the financial burden on the taxpayer is eased. It has a two-fold benefit – for the families who are helped and for the public generally.

“We’re really proud and pleased to be part of the scheme and proud of the success we’ve had.

“Many of these families have been going in and out of the system for years. We fix one bit with a sticking plaster but they come back with something else because there’s something inherently wrong.

“This scheme enables us to find out what’s at the root of that and help them live their lives more independently.”