REDDITCH Borough Council has won the contract for providing early help services in Bromsgrove.

The decision, made by Worcestershire County Council, means that the borough council will now be responsible for delivering early help services to families in the town with youngsters aged up to 19 years old, identifying needs and demonstrating significant and sustained improvements to outcomes for children and young people.

The service will work with families at risk of difficulty, in order to nip problems in the bud before they have a chance to escalate to the point where specialist services are required.

The council won the contract after being able to show that it could demonstrate value for money through the innovative use of volunteers and investing in local organisations.

Councillor Liz Eyre, Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for children and families, said: "We are delighted to announce Redditch Borough Council as the preferred provider for delivering early help services in Bromsgrove. Their bid illustrated a whole family approach to the services they will be delivering and I feel confident that they will be able to make a real difference for the families they will be working with."

The contract was won following a robust tendering process which started in October of last year, and the new early help services will begin to be delivered in Bromsgrove from August 1.

The contract lasts for three years, with the option to extend it for a further two year period.