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THOUSANDS of the worst families in England are to be put in “sin bins” in a bid to change their bad behaviour, Ed Balls announced yesterday.

The Children’s Secretary set out £400million plans to put 20,000 problem families under 24-hour CCTV super-vision in their own homes.

They will be monitored to ensure that children attend school, go to bed on time and eat proper meals.

Private security guards will also be sent round to carry out home checks, while parents will be given help to combat drug and alcohol addiction.

Around 2,000 families have gone through these Family Intervention Projects so far.

But ministers want to target 20,000 more in the next two years, with each costing between £5,000 and £20,000 – a potential total bill of £400million.

Ministers hope the move will reduce the number of youngsters who get drawn into crime because of their chaotic family lives, as portrayed in Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless.

Sin bin projects operate in half of council areas already but Mr Balls wants every local authority to fund them.

He said: “This is pretty tough and non-negotiable support for families to get to the root of the problem. There should be Family Intervention Projects in every local authority area because every area has families that need support.”

But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said: “This is all much too little, much too late.

“This Government has been in power for more than a decade during which time anti-social behaviour, family breakdown and problems like alcohol abuse and truancy have just got worse and worse.”

Mr Balls also said responsible parents who make sure their children behave in school will get new rights to complain about those who allow their children to disrupt lessons.

Pupils and their families will have to sign behaviour contracts known as Home School Agreements before the start of every year, which will set out parents’ duties to ensure children behave and do their homework.

The updated Youth Crime Action Plan also called for a crackdown on violent girl gangs as well as drug and alcohol abuse among young women.

But a decision to give ministers new powers to intervene with failing local authority Youth Offending Teams was criticised by council leaders.

Les Lawrence, of the Local Government Association, said they did “crucial” work and such intervention was “completely unnecessary”.

Doubt very many would accept such a thing here. Hope not, anyways.

Wow, I made such a recommendation before but to be done by children services since they have so called 'qualifications' as child psychology is their strength but not just 'anybody' should be allowed to perform such projects. more people really got learn question strength of 'qualifications'. Wow.

Hmm, it has its ups and downs. I see what they are getting at, but I think that it would be much more simple to allow corporal punishment.

Nothing, and I have had experience with this on the receiving end, makes a kid shut up and behave than a good backhand to the head.

When I was a school boy in London during the 1950's and 1960's, all of our male teachers were ex military, and they brought military discipline into the class room. Quite frankly, we didnt stuff them around, if we did we would get 6 strokes of the cane.

Weird I read 1984 and completely missed the chapters where the government started dealing with delinquent families.

Still I guess there are those that think the government being involved in:
- helping some families break drug and alcohol problems.
- Getting some kids to school on time.
- Getting said kids better food and living conditions.
is a horrific idea, yet it intrigues me that these same people can support a government that covertly wiretaps you.

Go figure.

Cameras in the frakking HOME!

But it's okay.... the Nanny State shall raise your children! All hail the state!

Originally Posted by MontyB

Weird I read 1984 and completely missed the chapters where the government started dealing with delinquent families.

Still I guess there are those that think the government being involved in:
- helping some families break drug and alcohol problems.
- Getting some kids to school on time.
- Getting said kids better food and living conditions.
is a horrific idea, yet it intrigues me that these same people can support a government that covertly wiretaps you.

Go figure.

Putting cameras in someone's home against their will is not something I could accept, and I sure as hell don't like the fact that they're allowed to covertly wiretap Americans without a court order now.

Vey, very interesting post. I've read 1984 and am convinced it won't be fiction for much longer! It is happening before our eyes.

Originally Posted by Zastava-Arms

Hmm, it has its ups and downs. I see what they are getting at, but I think that it would be much more simple to allow corporal punishment.

Nothing, and I have had experience with this on the receiving end, makes a kid shut up and behave than a good backhand to the head.

I agree to a point, but I still think the cameras are unnecessary.