MORE than 900 "troubled" families across Worcestershire have been helped under a council project to turn their lives around, it has emerged.

But Worcestershire County Council has vowed to press on with its 'Stronger Families Programme' after it emerged hundreds more people are still requiring intensive support.

Back in 2013 the Government launched its flagship £448 million "troubled families" agenda and ordered local authorities to devise hard-hitting plans to help households with obvious problems like domestic abuse, worklessness and school absenteeism.

It works on a 'pay by results' basis, with Whitehall reimbursing County Hall for each family deemed to have made enough progress from the support on offer.

Since 2013 of the 900-plus Worcestershire families to have been helped, 833 cases have resulted in the Government paying off claims from the county council.

The payments came despite 117 of those families being referred to social care workers resulting in 19 'children in need' plans, three youngsters ending up in care and another three getting child protection plans.

A second phase of the programme is underway, with 760 families getting ongoing support for what the council calls "complex" needs.

Ministers have guaranteed that the funding arrangements will stay in place until 2020, and Worcestershire's target is to work with 3,100 families with complex needs by then.

Under the scheme, those who get picked up receive intensive support with a key worker co-ordinating the help.

Over the last three years the likes of schools and health professionals have referred families towards it, with the criteria for help including substance misuse, domestic abuse and mental health.

A new report on the council's position has revealed that further payments back from the Government will rely on it being able to demonstrate "significant and sustained progress" with the more complex families.

Debbie Herbert, the council's lead commissioner for vulnerable children and families, said: "Under phase two 760 families have received support so far.

"What we are talking about now is families with very complex needs - they often have children of different ages and require a lot of support."

The troubled families programme was launched nationwide as part of a response to the 2011 riots across Britain.

Under the deal, councils can get up to £4,000 per family if an adult finds continuous employment, children are back in school or if there is a reduction in antisocial behaviour or youth crime.