ORGANISATIONS which offer support to parents are being invited to apply for cash.

The Parenting Fund is offering grants of at least £50,000 to charities or non-profit organisations which help parents or carers of young children.

Groups which aim to tackle anti-social behaviour or offer assistance to vulnerable children are also free to apply.

The fund is managed by the Department for Education and Skills and the National Family and Parenting Institute.

Institute director Richard Allen says the fund enables voluntary organisations to make "remarkable progress".

He added: "Parents facing severe challenges in bringing up their children really welcome the support local programmes are giving them."

Visit parentingfund.org