Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) is a wrap-around multi-modal
intervention for children and young people with challenging behaviour. It was initially
developed and tested by the Oregon Social Learning Centre (OSLC) in the USA as
an alternative to institutional placement. It has been is named in the National Registry
of Evidence-based Programs and Practices in the USA and is considered to be wellsupported
by research evidence, in relation to children who are similar to child
welfare populations, by the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child
Welfare.
The British government introduced it in England in 2002 as a national pilot
programme, supported by pump-priming money from the former DCSF and by a
National Team to provide training, support and consultancy and ensure fidelity to the
MTFC model. In England, the introduction of this evidence-based, multi-agency
wraparound service was prompted by concerns about poor outcomes for many
looked after children and about the placement instability often experienced by these
children.