Hackney has been awarded a substantial grant to develop effective interventions for children with complex needs and challenging behaviour.

The Council’s successful bid for the Multi-dimensional Treatment Foster Care-Children grant was announced by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Wednesday 21 May 2008.

Councillor Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Children s Services, Hackney Council, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as one of the successful pilot areas for Government funding. Creating better life chances for Hackney children and young people and providing them with the foundations for life are priorities for the Council, and so this is welcome news indeed.”

The Grant will be used to launch a foster care programme for children between the ages of 7-11 years. This programme will be specialist and will be recruiting fostercarers specifically to work within the model of social learning theory. Those young people placed will have a wrap-around team to support them in their placements.

This is very exciting and will offer care within a family setting to those children with complex emotional and behavioural needs as an alternative to residential care.