Evaluation of the Treatment and Care for Kids Program (TrACK)

The Treatment and Care for Kids (TrACK) program is a therapeutic home-based care program providing intensive intervention for children and young people with complex needs. The program is run jointly by Anglicare Victoria and the Australian Childhood Foundation and is funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services. Following on from an earlier evaluation in 2005, this new evaluation study investigates the effectiveness of the program in improving children's developmental outcomes over time, with a particular focus on whether TrACK is an effective program to create placement stability and whether TrACK has a positive impact on children's projected life trajectory. It draws on case file data for 48 former and current clients and interviews with foster care staff, carers, and care leavers. This report presents the findings and recommendations of the evaluation. In particular, it recommends that the program be expanded and implemented far more widely as a viable alternative to residential care, with the findings demonstrating that TrACK produces tangible and lasting results for children.