Hi Chelle,
It might be that the barking always brings a result ! If he is still barking when you return he will connect the two ! I bark she comes home, thereby he continues barking next time, as ' it works '.
If there was a window, even just a few seconds, that he stopped barking that is the point you go in and praise, teaching him being quiet gets you home too.
I tend to do the same as Sarah about going out and coming back, don't make a big issue of it. But when I have left I never go back to check as giving false hope to the dog.
Mind your little 'en is still a young boy.
Maybe go back to basics again and literally just walk out of the door for 5 mins, wait outside, and come back ( ideally when he is not barking ) Do that 5/6 times a day for a few days you may see an improvment already, then extend time. Part of this exercise to to let scooby know that, you are Alpha and you will go out if you want.......
When I bought Tilly home from the breeder the crate was waiting for her ! Fortunatly, the breeder had introduced the whole litter to a crate, through play and communal sleeping, with the door always open.
After a settling in period of say a week, during which time she slept in there at night and was being toilet trained from it, I put her in and left, only for a minute or so. Twas a slow process and built up minutes out of the house slowly.
I felt horrid as she was such a young pup , but despite knowing she would be with me most the time I knew there would be occasions where I would have to go out alone and didn't want to drop it on her out of the blue and get her distressed. And me worry and feel guilty. So, decided to get it sorted when she was young and continuation from the breeders work with her.
Tilly whinned only four times in total.............I know this because, just before I left I rang my landline from my mobile, left the line open, placed it in same room as her and left with mobile so I could listen to how she was doing !
Never looked back, her crate is her den even now, with door open and if I need to go out alone I just say ' bed ' she runs in lays down and rests.
I have never left treats / food or anything in with her for safety reasons. By doing this she always rested.
I know it's hard but perserverence with get you there, some just take longer than others.