Summary
This report presents the methodology and findings of the British National Evaluation Team's evaluation of On Track, an early intervention and prevention program. Pilot On Track programs were implemented in 24 deprived and high-crime areas, targeting children "at risk" of becoming future offenders. This evaluation report, one in a series on the program, focused the period between September 2000 and March 2002. Services to children have addressed individual problem behavior, risk factors, and general support and educational needs. Parents have received support and educational services. This report describes these interventions and presents findings on challenges to delivery, program costs, case assessment and referral, and program impact on risk and protective factors. It concludes that projects have had reasonable success in delivering services to a wide range of children and their families, and that the programs are starting to show some indications of an impact, although it is too early to conclude that real change is occurring.
Contents
1. Introduction. -- 2. Understanding local interventions and on track services. -- 3. Implementation difficulties in local delivery. -- 4. The extend of programme delivery and its costs. -- 5. Targeting and assessment methods. -- 6. Who was involved in the programme? -- 7. Early signs of impact onrisk factors and problem behaviours. -- 8. Conclusion.