Louise Casey calls for new approach on 'troubled families'

A government adviser says the chaotic histories of thousands of "troubled families" need to be addressed to help them turn their lives around.

Louise Casey says a "whole-family" approach is needed to help reduce the social problems for struggling families in England.

The coalition government says 120,000 "troubled families" in England cost taxpayers £9bn every year.

Ministers have said they want to turn around these families' lives by 2015.

In October, in the wake of the riots, the prime minister gave Ms Casey a new role at the Department for Communities and Local Government looking at how to turn around the lives of those in "troubled families".

She conducted interviews to compile a report about the task facing the government.

Ms Casey's report says many of these families have histories of sexual abuse and welfare dependency dating back many years.

It became clear that in many of these families the abuse of children by in many cases parents, siblings, half-siblings and extended family and friends was a factor in their dysfunction”

She said domestic violence was often endemic and "entrenched cycles of suffering problems and causing problems" contaminate relationships.

Last month, every eligible council in England was invited to take part in the government's programme to tackle the problems of these families.

Ms Casey's report said: "The prevalence of child sexual and physical abuse and sometimes child rape was striking and shocking."

She said problems such as sexual abuse, teenage pregnancies, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency and educational failure were often repeated by different generations.

Ms Casey said: "It became clear that in many of these families the abuse of children by in many cases parents, siblings, half-siblings and extended family and friends was a factor in their dysfunction.

"Some discussed it as if as it was almost expected and just a part of what they had experienced in life. Children often had not been protected by their parents."

She said the authorities needed to understand the complex histories of these families if they were to take effective action.

"I am not making excuses for any family failing to send their kids to school or causing trouble in their community.

"However unless we really understand what it is about these families that means they behave in this way, we can't start to turn their lives around," she added.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "I welcome this report as an important part of that process as it provides a real insight into these families' dysfunctional lives.

"My civil servants are not just sitting in an office in Whitehall telling local authorities what to do but seeking to gain a true understanding of the challenges they face."

The government has promised to pay county councils and unitary authorities up to £4,000 per eligible family to work on reducing truancy, cutting youth crime and anti-social behaviour, and encouraging parents into work.

The programme's £448m budget covers three years and only applies in England.