Young people in Haringey are to be given help to turn their lives around.

Government minister for children and young people, Beverley Hughes, visited the borough on Tuesday to meet youngsters who had left behind a life of crime.

She announced a new project to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour with funding of £650,000 for Haringey Council.

Ms Hughes, who announced the scheme at Wood Green Area Youth Centre, said: “These projects aim to help parents who often don’t know where to go or who to turn to next to help them tackle the problem behaviour of their child.

"They are sometimes unable to get the support and help they need from local services. The focus of these projects is on prevention and support.”

Haringey is one of only 20 areas in the country to receive help deterring young people from crime and across London it has the third highest number of first-time criminals entering the youth justice system.

Support for families will intervene at the first sign of truancy, disruptive behaviour in schools or any contact with the police.

The Intensive Intervention Project aims to reduce the number of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, unemployment or training, reduce the proportion of young people using drugs and alcohol, and increase the number involved in positive activities.

Councillor Nilgun Canver, cabinet minister for enforcement and safer communities, said: "We really believe getting the right support at the right time will help deter most young people from anti-social or criminal behaviour. We want to nip challenging behaviour in the bud.

"We will be working with the most challenging and at risk young people and will ensure that support is linked to required behaviour change.

"We will have a strong family and parenting skills focus but the support offered will be non-negotiable.

"Refusal to engage with support will be followed by sanctions which may result in an anti-social behaviour order or even a criminal record."