SOUTHAMPTON parents will get £50,000 of government cash to recruit a "supernanny".

Civic leaders hope to recruit a child psychologist to the city's antisocial behaviour team early next year with the recruitment process beginning in January.

As reported in later editions of yesterday's Daily Echo, the city was named as one of 77 areas chosen to benefit from a £4m cash injection from the government's "Respect" task force.

The money will pay for a network of parenting experts to advise new parents and intervene when children get into trouble.

It is hoped those parents who are worried about their children's behaviour can get the help they need to put an end to the bad behaviour and bring up happier, better behaved children.

Southampton's new "supernanny" will work with the council's antisocial behaviour team.

City council Cabinet member for housing, communities and neighbourhoods, Councillor Liz Mizon said: "The public is telling us poor parenting is one of the causes of antisocial behaviour in the community.

"Improving parenting skills can not only reduce the chances of involvement in antisocial behaviour and crime but can also have a big impact on the well-being of the family and the child's future development.

"Being a parent is a difficult job. This funding means that we can offer a helping hand to those parents who are worried that their children are getting involved in antisocial behaviour."

The latest move to curb antisocial behaviour comes as a Home Office commissioned Mori poll showed 53 per cent of people believe poor parenting is one of the main causes of bad behaviour and 85 per cent of people blamed parents for allowing children to become out of control.