A range of supports are available to carers to enable them to care for children and young people in OOHC in NSW.
Carers, children and young people in care can speak with their caseworker if they have any questions about government funded supports or other supports services that may be available to them.
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Carer Supports Letter
Carers of children and young people in statutory care in NSW will receive an annual Carer Supports Letter outlining the funding supports they are receiving for those in their care. This includes:
- foster carers
- relative/kinship carers
- Therapeutic Home-Based Care (THBC) carers, and
- Therapeutic Sibling Option Placement (TSOP) carers.
Emergency and respite carers will not receive a Carer Supports Letter and can discuss supports available to them with their caseworker.
Carers with the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) will receive a letter from DCJ. Carers with non-government agencies will receive a letter from their Permanency Support Program (PSP) provider.
Letter templates
More detailed information about the letter and PSP funding is available in the Q&A Carer Supports and PSP funding factsheet (PDF, 157.9 KB).
Other supports and resources provided by the NSW Government
Financial assistance
- DCJ Care Allowance rates
All authorised foster, relative and kin carers receive an allowance to cover the typical costs for household expenses and child related costs such as housing, utilities, food, household provisions, transport, recreation and holidays, general medical costs and pharmaceutical costs, general dental, clothing and footwear, general education costs, personal care and haircuts, gifts, pocket money and hobbies, music lessons, sporting activities, school excursions and so on.
Non-government agencies are required to pay their carers at least the DCJ Standard Care rate. Carers should speak with their caseworker to keep informed of the Care Allowance rate they receive.
- Teenage Education Payment (TEP)
Financial support (means-tested) for carers and guardians of young people aged 16-18 years in OOHC to remain engaged in school or other education and training.
- Post Care Education Financial Support (PCEFS)
Financial Support (non-means tested) for carers to maintain the current living and support arrangements for young people aged 18 to 24 to complete their NSW Higher School Certificate.
- Staying on Allowance
If you are the carer of a young person who has been in statutory care for more than a total of 12 months when they turn 18 years of age, and that young person stays living in your home after they turn 18, you may be eligible for the Staying on Allowance. A carer cannot receive this allowance if they are receiving PCEFS or the young person is receiving the Independent Living Allowance.
- Recognition payment (Victim of Crime)
Carers can work with their caseworker to support the children and young people in their care to obtain a recognition payment which can be held in Trust until the young person turns 18 years of age. The caseworker can make the application on the young person’s behalf. A recognition payment is for victims of a violent crime or modern slavery. This includes, but is not limited, to sexual assault, assault resulting in grievous bodily harm, or physical assault of a child that involves a series of related acts.
Advocacy and carer support
- My Forever Family (MFF)
Provides advocacy for carers and offers support on a range of issues. MFF’s goal is to see that all children and young people in out-of-home care receive the care they deserve, and all carers receive the support and training they need. The NSW Government funds carer services provided by MFF.
- AbSec Carer Support Service
The NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation, AbSec, offers an Aboriginal Carer Support Service is a valuable service that aims to improve the information, support, and training opportunities for carers of Aboriginal children and young people in NSW. The NSW Government funds carer services provided by AbSec.
- LINKS Trauma Healing Service (LINKS)
LINKS delivers trauma focused, evidence-based support to children in out-of-home care. The service seeks to decrease trauma symptoms, increase psychological wellbeing and improve behavioural and emotional functioning. There are four LINKS teams operating in Penrith, Newcastle, Western (Orange hub), and the Illawarra.
Resources
- Caring for Kids
Caring for kids contains information about a range of day-to-day issues you may encounter as a foster carer, as well as providing a reference point for other useful sources of information and assistance.
- Raising Tweens and Teens
Raising Tweens and Teens: A Guide for Carers and Caseworkers provides useful tips and ideas to support carers with the day to day and the more challenging issues with caring for pre-teens and teenagers in out-of-home care.
- Raising them strong: Support for Aboriginal kinship and foster carers in NSW
Offers support for Aboriginal foster and kinship carers on topics such as health, education, grief and loss, family contact and navigating ‘the system’.
- Caring Together, Raising them strong: Caring for kids with a disability (PDF, 1.5 MB)
For carers who care for a child or young person who has a disability. It covers settling children with disabilities into your family and talking with them, specialist support staff and teachers about how to give them the care and attention they need.
- Leading the Way – preparing young people for leaving care
Helps carers support young people develop the skills and confidence they need to move into adulthood. Provides information about teaching life skills, making plans for the future and dealing with change.
- Caring Together: Resolving concerns & understanding your rights and complaints
Includes information for carers about how best to manage a concern and what to do if you feel there is a need to make a complaint, and also what you can expect if a complaint is made against you.
- NSW Reportable Conduct Scheme guide
Information about the NSW Reportable Conduct Scheme for authorised carers.
- Caring for children from diverse cultural backgrounds
Supports carers of culturally and linguistically diverse children and young people.
- Resources for Aboriginal parents and carers
Helpful articles and printable guides and booklets created by Aboriginal carers and support workers for Aboriginal families and kinship carers across NSW.
- OOHC Education Pathway
Personalised learning and support planning for students attending NSW Government, Catholic and Independent schools who are in OOHC.
- OOHC Health Pathway program
NSW Health provides coordinated health assessments for children and young people aged 0 – 17 years in statutory OOHC living in NSW who are expected to remain in care for longer than 90 days.
Other supports provided by Commonwealth Government
- Foster Child Health Care Card
Support for carers (non-means tested) to cheaper medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for children in their care. The card is issued to an individual foster child and is non-transferrable.
- Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)
Covers part or the full cost of some basic dental services for eligible children.
- Family Tax Benefit
Helps with the cost of raising children (means-tested). It is made up of two parts:
- Family Tax Benefit Part A is paid per child. The amount you get depends on your family’s circumstances.
- Family Tax Benefit Part B is paid per family. This payment gives extra help to families and single parents with one main income
- Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement
A lump sum and an increase to your Family Tax Benefit Part A payment when you start caring for a baby or child that has recently come into your care.
- Child Care Subsidy
Assistance to help with the cost of approved or registered child-care (means tested).
- Additional Child Care Subsidy
Additional subsidy that covers the full cost of approved childcare for up to 100 hours per child per week. Available to people who meet certain conditions:
- a grandparent on income support payments
- transitioning from income support payments to work
- experiencing temporary financial hardship
- caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, neglect or abuse
- Parental Leave Pay
Payment to help families taking time off work to care for a newborn or newly adopted child.
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
The NDIS provides funding to eligible people with disability to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life.
- Transition to Independent Living Allowance (TILA)
Carers can check with their caseworker that an application has been made for a young person in their care to receive the Commonwealth Government’s one-off allowance of up to $1,500. Eligible for young people aged 15–25 years who are leaving statutory OOHC, to help them make a successful transition to independent living.
Other information is available for:
