It comes just a few months after a damning report revealed that Renfrewshire was home to the poorest neighbourhood in Scotland.

Ferguslie Park, in Paisley, was named the most deprived area in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation for last year, and has been in roughly the same position in the Scottish Government league table since 2006.

But Renfrewshire Council has agreed that Ferguslie Park and Linwood will benefit with dedicated programmes set up as part of the £6.8m funding pledge.

The cash will be targeted at helping deprived children's parents find employment, get debt advice and tackle health problems.

Other measures will include social work and health visitor support, and extra support before and after the school day, like breakfast clubs and wraparound care.

There will also be increased access to early- years teachers, particularly in the transition from nursery to primary school.

Two pilot schemes will be developed later this year with bases in Ferguslie and Linwood.

Those will be supported by outreach programmes for parents across Renfrewshire.

The focus of both will be on children of nursery school age and in the first three years of primary school.

Another part of the programme will target families with older children who are living in deprivation.

Councillor Jacqueline Henry, the council's education convener, said: "Far too many families in Renfrew-shire experience deprivation – with all the problems that brings for them and their communities.

"It affects us all if future generations are locked into a cycle of disadvantage and missed opportunities.

"The council is developing a partnership approach to make available help and support to families from a range of public and voluntary agencies so that their children can get the best start in life.

"We want practical assistance to be easily accessible to parents so that they can improve their family's circumstances."

The strategy will be in place as children start the new school year in August.

ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk