Crime Reduction Initiatives
On Track: Children and families at risk
'On Track' is a long-term initiative aimed at children at risk of getting involved in crime. It was launched in December 1999 and since April 2001 it has been incorporated into the Government's £450m Children Fund programme, although it continues to be evaluated separately by the Home Office.
There are 22 On Track projects in England in high deprivation areas, each covering around 2,000 children. In each an enhanced range of evidence-based preventive services (including parent training, home school partnerships, structured pre-school education, home visiting and family therapy) is being developed for children aged between 4-12.and their families. Each project will be investing around £0.5m a year over the next few years.
Inter-agency co-operation is being developed so that children at risk of offending are identified early and they and their families provided with consistent services through the period of the child's development. (The projects are sensitive to concerns about stigmatisation.) The projects will also impact on and educational and health outcomes.
Each project is managed by a local partnership including the main health, educational and social service providers, youth offending teams, the police and relevant voluntary sector organisations. The projects will build on and link together existing services and initiatives for children and families
The key aim is to foster areas of excellence which deliver real reductions in delinquency in high crime communities and provide answers to pressing questions about what works best in terms of early prevention.
The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the arrangements is being thoroughly evaluated. Findings will be published on an ongoing basis.
Further information
For further information on the Children's Fund, please visit http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/.
Last update: Tuesday, July 29, 2008