YOUNG mums living in deprived areas of the borough will be given a helping hand after funding was secured for the project.

Ealing Primary Care Trust won £172,000 in government funding to provide intensive family nursing support for young mothers and their babies.

The scheme, which will be run jointly with Ealing Council and Ealing Hospital NHS Trust, will help deprived, first-time mothers and prevent problems linked to social exclusion.

Ealing is one of only 20 boroughs in the country to win the funding, which will cover staff and equipment costs and help families until the child is two years old.

The project will target young mothers living in Northolt West End, Northolt Mandeville, North Greenford and Acton Central.

Mothers who join the family nurse partnership programme are assigned a health visitor or midwife who encourages them to bond with their babies and develop good parenting skills.