This report concludes that the Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) program for children in Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) with high and complex needs is not operating as intended and is not achieving its key objectives. The report makes 12 recommendations that seek to inform, enhance and strengthen future reforms related to therapeutic residential OOHC in New South Wales.

The ITC program is for children over 12 years with high and complex needs where family-based placements are not possible or available to them and/or they require specialised and intensive supports.

Key Recommendations

• The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) should establish stability measures.
• DCJ should redesign the ITC broadcast system to better target placement referrals to relevant agencies.
• DCJ should establish an internal quality assurance panel with independent representation.
• The Statewide Steering Committee of the Joint Protocol should report to an appropriate oversight mechanism about any implementation plans, evaluation strategies, reviews and reforms they are responsible for.
• DCJ should review and identify reforms to the policy and practice standards of care for children ‘not in placement’.
• DCJ and partner agencies should report on compliance with compulsory school-age participation for children in residential care.
• DCJ should develop revised goals for therapeutic residential OOHC that focus on the best interests of children in ITC.
• The upcoming evaluation of ITC should include examination of the sufficiency of current pathways out of ITC.
• DCJ should review the information DCJ and providers currently collect on ITC operations, services and outcomes for children.
• DCJ should develop a model of advocacy for children.
• DCJ with partner agencies, should agree on processes to streamline access for children to key services needed for their therapeutic care.