Tracy Beaker Returns — Season 3

Four young people and their cynical care worker Denis arrive at the Dumping Ground after a fire at Burnywood. Carmen recognises Tyler, the young joker she blames for stealing her clothes when she was there - she wants revenge. Johnny takes a shine to Lizanne, who manipulates him into giving up his room for her. Rick is protective of Kitty, a shy girl Tracy resolves to bring out of her shell, despite being warned of Kitty's unpredictable behaviour. When a fire breaks out in the attic, Tracy and Gus set about discovering who the culprit is. 

There is a fire in the attic. Denis blames Harry, who has built a den up there out of Sapphire's discarded junk. Refusing to see the Burnywood fire and this one as a coincidence, Tracy and Gus break into the sealed attic to get forensic evidence. Just as they find some discarded cigarette butts, Gus falls through the burned floor onto Carmen's bed. Denis blames Tracy for Gus's fall and sacks her. Meanwhile, Lizanne has turned her attentions to Frank, who 'loans' her money

Tracy's ability to conquer fear is tested when a storm knocks out the electricity and phone line at the DG, leaving Carmen worried about an escaped prisoner on the loose. Looking after the YP on her own, Tracy gets them telling each other scary stories. Tyler's story frightens Johnny giving everyone a good laugh at Johnny's expense. Meanwhile, Tee sets about solving an old riddle she finds in the junk cupboard, but the solutions only lead to more hidden riddles. After Tracy locks up and everyone is in bed, Liam and Frank find the front door open. Fearing someone has come in, Tracy instigates a search. No-one is found. Later, Carmen thinks she sees a stranger and screams. It is put down to imagination but Gus wakes up to find his room has been disturbed. 

Liam gets scammed with some pirate DVDs and wrecks the stall where he bought them. Fleeing, he bumps into a woman who thinks he is a mugger. The stallholders leave him to get arrested and Liam is punished with a curfew and an electronic tag - if the alarm goes off three times, Liam will go to a youth offenders' institute. Liam is angry that Mike doesn't believe he is innocent, and Elektra wants her DVD money back. A frustrated Liam tries to saw off his tag and make an escape, but Tracy arrives with a letter from someone called Jack who claims to be Liam's brother. A shell-shocked Liam doesn't want to meet him. Nor does he want Mike to know about the letter. So Tracy and Frank go to meet Jack instead. Meanwhile, Elektra's failure to get her money back from Liam culminates in her moving the entire contents of his bedroom out into the garden - beyond the perimeter of his tag.

Hoping to reunite the family, Lily has coached her dad Steve in all things Poppy and Rosie in readiness for his first meeting with them. But, having no memory of their dad, Poppy and Rosie run out crying. Convinced Steve would do better without official interference, Carmen and Tee help Lily plot a second meeting between Lily and her sisters - without telling anyone her dad will be there too. Tracy is persuaded to take the girls to the park. Meanwhile, Frank secretly adopts a three-legged dog that follows him back to the DG. The YP call it Shadow. When the dog pees in his bedroom and gives him fleas, Frank takes it to Sapphire who refuses to adopt it. To make sure the family reunion in the park goes as she wants, Lily loads her dad up with games, sweets and cakes, does his hair and restyles his clothes. Shadow is the perfect final touch. Tracy is angry when she sees Steve but gives in to Lily's emotional pleading. Steve isn't used to looking after small kids and lets them eat too much cake. Poppy is sick, Steve gets knocked out by the swing and Shadow runs away. Mike and the sisters' foster parents are furious with Lily and especially Tracy for letting the meeting happen, and to make matters worse, Frank finds out Shadow has been taken to the animal shelter and will get put down if he isn't rescued. 

The YP want a new computer but Mike will not get one until they prove they can look after their things. So Tracy sets an egg-sitting challenge. The YP team up in pairs to look after an egg without smashing it. Meanwhile, Sapphire tells Harry, who is visiting her at her flat with Carmen and Tracy, that she is not his mum, and he has to get used to her not being at the Dumping Ground. Carmen offers to be his mum instead, and back at the DG they team up for the egg challenge.

Justine Littlewood arrives at the Dumping Ground, wanting Mike to give her away at her wedding. Tracy reverts to her old competitive self, but is Justine's perfect fiance who he pretends to be? 

It's rewards time again - the annual event at the town hall at which all the local young people in care get an award for the one thing that makes them special. Tracy's doing the certificates for the Dumping Ground, but can't think of one for Johnny. She asks Tee to help, but Johnny overhears them discussing his lack of special qualities.

It's the yearly holiday at a farmhouse in the country. Lily has come to spend her last summer holiday with her friends, although she could have gone on holiday with her dad. But Tee accidentally lets sheep out of a field and into the farmhouse. The farmer throws everyone out. Back at the DG, Tee is blamed for losing everyone their holiday and when she tries to make amends it backfires, making her feel even worse. While Tracy tries to get people to be forgiving and Mike tries in vain to book somewhere else for everyone, Lily and Carmen plan on running away to join Lily's dad, who is camping somewhere in Wales. Tee discovers their plan and tries to stop them. She ends up on the coach with Carmen and Lily, heading south towards Bristol. Refusing to play ball, Tee insists on getting off. Feeling guilty, Carmen and Lily get off the coach too. The girls find themselves in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal. Meanwhile, Tracy finds out what's happened. She, Mike, Johnny and Frank take the minibus to go after the coach. 

When Elektra's sister arrives at the Dumping Ground, her family secrets are uncovered. Meanwhile, Sapphire has to return to Elm Tree House - and she is not happy.  

Carmen and Lily plan on manipulating Mike into letting Shadow stay at the Dumping Ground with Lily when she has respite care the following week. The girls arrive back at the DG to find Jody, a wild, screaming girl who is refusing to have a bath. Carmen is told Jody has to share with her. She and Lily go to Sapphire who refuses to move in with Elektra so that Jody can have her room, and Mike then tells Lily that now things are fine with her dad, she won't need respite care anymore anyway. Tired of her hyperactive antics, Elektra locks Jody in the toy cupboard. Jody breaks free, tips a plant over Elektra's head and disappears. Tracy and Mike find her at her wreck of a family home. Her mum and brothers, who have a criminal court case pending, have left. Jody is distraught. Mike and Tracy take her back to the Dumping Ground. An upset Lily tells Carmen how she needs a break from her dad, not the other way around. She makes Carmen promise not to say anything for fear of the authorities taking her away from her dad again. 

Mike is stunned by the news that he is about to get an MBE. Apart from Rick, who seems to have a republican view, and Gus, who has piano practice that day, the young people all want to go to the palace with him. But Mike can only take three guests. Who should it be? Johnny gets wind of this and he, Tee and Carmen set about impressing Mike with their helpfulness. When Frank starts vacuuming the office, it is decided something has to be done. Tracy sets up an election - each young person has to vote for the person they think deserves to go and no-one can vote for themselves. A brutal election campaign begins

Tracy is leaving for a new job but can't help feeling that Mike is glad to see her go, so she concocts one last 'Tracy plan' to get his attention.