Families in Coventry who need support so they don't face losing their home are being given extra help thanks to Whitefriars Housing Group.

Over the past three and half years Whitefriars Housing Group has helped 22 families keep their homes by referring them to the Coventry Family Intervention Project (FIP) which works in partnership with Whitefriars to provide intensive support to families. 

Now, thanks to joint funding between Whitefriars Housing Group, various Government departments and the housing regulator the Tenants Service Authority through the FIP Housing Challenge Fund, Whitefriars will employ two FIP key workers to support families leading chaotic or dysfunctional lifestyles, who want to change their behaviour to avoid losing their home. 

The Family Intervention Project is targeting a minority of families causing problems in their communities, and demonstrates Whitefriars commitment to creating peaceful neighbourhoods and tackling anti-social behaviour with its partners across the city. 

Anti-social behaviour caused by these families is often because of hidden problems and social disadvantages, such as worklessness, mental health issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, poor health, and low educational achievement. 

The help that the Family Intervention Project gives to households has achieved far-reaching impact on family members, as well creating more stable communities. 

The Coventry Family Intervention Project has been successful in tackling the complex underlying problems within families by providing a dedicated and assertive key worker with a low caseload who works intensively with the whole family to develop a range of support packages. 

The FIP workers will challenge and support families by engaging the whole household to bring about positive change to their lifestyles. Key workers use many methods, such as, setting boundaries, one-to-one parenting work, time management advice, cognitive therapy, confidence building and behavioural contracts.

Gail Cooper, Manager of Whitefriars' specialist anti-social behaviour team asb4, said: "We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to help tenants keep their home. The FIP funding is going to allow us to increase the level of support we can offer our tenants.  

"The FIP key workers will support families who are facing enforcement action. They will be encouraged and supported by the FIP workers to change their lifestyles in order to keep their tenancy with Whitefriars. This will help to improve relations in communities making them places people are proud to live and work.

"There are many reasons why people are referred to FIP, but it could be due to domestic abuse, parenting issues, children causing anti-social behaviour, alcohol and substance misuse, chaotic lifestyles, or parents feeling out of control.

"In any situation eviction is always the last resort so we want to use all the powers we have available to help tenants keep their home and lead a good quality of life."

The funding will help an extra nine families over the next 12 months. Whitefriars referred 35 cases to the Coventry FIP, with 22 of those successfully completing the programme and kept their home. Of all people referred onto the FIP scheme in Coventry 41 per cent are referred by Whitefriars.