New Blackpool support service to begin in January to put an end to cycles of deprivation

From January, a new targeted support service will be launched to improve links between school and home life.

Blackpool Council has chosen London-based School-Home Support to provide the service until August 2020.

It will be funded through the Government’s Opportunity Area scheme aimed at driving up standards in education.

A council report warns some children perform badly at school because they do not get encouragement at home to do well in lessons.

This in turn puts them more at risk of getting involved in anti-social behaviour, with some children also being at risk of going into care.

The report says the scheme will “develop new arrangements for early help and intervention to support greater family resilience and avoid family breakdown”.

It warns pupils who become disengaged from education do badly at school.

The report adds they are “at an increased risk of participation in other negative community-based issues such as involvement in youth crime, drug abuse and other safeguarding issues”.

Blackpool was among the first six towns designated as Opportunity Areas for the period 2017 to 2020.

The Government has put £75m into the scheme nationally to improve standards of education in poorly performing areas.