A COUNCIL is to spend £50,000 to help improve parenting skills of families with children who have anti-social behaviour problems.

Easington District Council was recently awarded the funding from the Government and has decided to use it on an innovative family-based programme.

The authority agreed this week to set up a parenting team, to help families whose children are involved in anti-social behaviour, or are considered at risk of taking part in it.

The team will consist of a parenting practitioner and two parenting workers, who will offerpractical help.

Steve Arkley, head of neighbourhood initiatives, said yesterday: "The parenting team will provide a vital support service to parents whose children have been involved in anti-social behaviour.

"They will work with families to offer help through recognised parenting programmes and one-to-one support.''

He added: "The council is already a Together Action Area, and has strong partnership arrangements in place to address anti-social behaviour.

"However, we recognise that early intervention is vital to reducing anti-social behaviour in the long term, and the new parenting team will enable us to do this by allowing us to provide support direct to families."

The council is one of 77 local authorities chosen to share £4m of Government funding for parenting support.

The money, awarded by the Respect Task Force, follows research showing that parenting programmes can produce lasting effects in reducing anti-social behaviour, even when parents have been initially reluctant to accept help.