Vulnerable families and children would get better treatment from social services if they had a dedicated person to contact for help or support, according to a new report.

Being able to speak to a single worker about services such as health, education and social work would also strengthen communities, improve children's development and reduce family stress, found research by Children in Scotland.

It backs the strategy of breaking down the once deeply-entrenched boundaries that separated the different caring professions.

One benefit is removing the frustration for vulnerable families of having to repeat the same story to different professionals who do not share information.

The research project followed 26 families with children, living in Scotland, over three years. Just over two thirds reported benefits from the trial.

They reported faster access to support, improvements in their children's behaviour and development, increased confidence in the service and better community relationships. Staff reported reduced levels of stress among the families with whom they worked.

Problems only occurred where a family needed help that could not be provided from within the team - often when families had multiple difficulties, or difficulties with housing.

Jennifer Turpie, director of policy and research at Children in Scotland, said more research was needed into the best models for families with multiple difficulties.

The report, Seamless Services: Smoother Lives, was supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.