100 Lives Changed and Counting

OzChild is proud to announce a significant milestone – this week we celebrated the 100^th graduate from OzChild’s Treatment Foster Care Oregon (TFCO) program. This transformational program is a therapeutic, home-based alternative to residential care for children aged between seven to 17 with complex emotional and behavioural challenges.  

Driving a shift towards an evidence-based approach to reduce the number of children under 12 in residential care, OzChild partnered with the Victorian Government to implement the TFCO program for children aged 7-11 in 2016.   

This initiative marked the beginning of our journey to not only shape an evidence-based service system for children and families but also to contribute to long-term cost savings for governments.  

TFCO is the first program of its kind in Australia. Since  implementation, OzChild has expanded the program which is now delivered across three states, delivering exceptional outcomes for children and young people. After an average of just nine months in the program, 97% of graduates have transitioned to lower levels of care, either reunited with birth families, kin, foster care or semi-independent living. 

“This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our TFCO team. OzChild is committed to delivering what works for children and young people in out-of-home care, and this program does just that. We’re seeing reduced offending, fewer delinquent behaviours, and significant improvements in educational outcomes and self-awareness,” said Dr. Lisa J. Griffiths, OzChild Chief Executive Officer. 

It is widely recognised that young people in institutional out-of-home care typically face poorer outcomes than those in home-based care, including lower school attendance, poorer health, and less readiness for independent living once they leave care. 

Natalie Sykes, a carer with OzChild’s TFCO program in Toowoomba has parented more than 100 children in her home over the last decade, turning her attention to supporting children through this evidence-based intervention.  

“Many of the children I have cared for have been in and out of residential care for most of their lives. Their trauma and inability to regulate their emotions often manifests with anger and aggression, and sadly many have trouble trusting adults and their peers.”  

She speaks about the life-changing impact of the program, and why she loves being a TFCO Carer: “All of them end up feeling so proud of how far they have come and who they have become, they have hope for a future they couldn’t imagine before TFCO,” says Natalie. 

 In addition to improving the outcomes of children and young people within a stable, trauma-informed family environment, the program is also far more cost effective than high-cost emergency accommodations (HCEAs), alternative care arrangements (ACAs) and residential care placements – with the program representing a cost saving of $22 million in Queensland since launching in 2018 and $17m in New South Wales since 2019 when compared to residential care placements.

Read the full media release here.