About foster care and kinship care

You will need to undergo police and working with children checks, as well as complete training on caring for children in foster care. You’ll be guided through the process every step of the way. We understand if at any stage you decide foster caring isn’t for you, or the timing just isn’t right – there are no hard feelings.

Many of our carers have children of their own and are accredited based on the best fit for their family. We provide information and training to all your household members, including biological children. Fostering can be a wonderful learning experience for the whole family.

You will receive personalised guidance throughout the application process from one of our staff members. Once accredited, you’ll have access to 24/7 support. Additionally, you will receive ongoing training, both for your own development and tailored to the needs of the young person you are caring for.

For more information, visit the Foster Care Association of Victoria or Foster and Kinship Carers Association of Tasmania.

Every placement is different, but carers do receive a standard carer reimbursement payment. Allowances and benefits are also available from Services Australia for accredited foster and kinship carers.

For more information, visit Victorian Government DFFH or Department for Education, Children and Young People.

You’re accredited based on the age, gender, and type of care you choose to provide. Our staff will always call you to discuss a placement before it goes ahead.

That really depends on the needs of the child and what the situation is. Care could be needed for as little as one night or until they turn 18. This also works around your availability and desire to care.

We understand that personal circumstances can change. Sometimes our carers take time off, move interstate, or focus on having children of their own. It’s as simple as making a call to your case worker to discuss your needs and keeping them involved so they can make alternative arrangements for the child in your care.

Just as you have been screened and assessed as a suitable carer, we are assessed and monitored by the Government to ensure we are a suitable organisation to care for children. You might hear this process referred to as licensing, accreditation, registration, or certification.
Victorian Foster Carer Charter
Tasmanian Out-of-Home Care Standards

The criteria for the licensing of a foster care service vary between states but mainly focus on the ability to:

• Provide information to children, particularly about accessibility, policies and procedures, complaints, and appeals processes
• Ensure children participate in decisions affecting them and are involved in services they receive
• Uphold the rights of children
• Keep children connected to family, and involve families in their children’s lives
• Keep children connected to their culture and identity
• Comply with standards for care environments
• Recruit, assess, train, approve, support, monitor, and supervise carers
• Manage children’s records
• Maintain records about carers, employees, contractors, and volunteers
• Maintain reporting systems, particularly breaches of standards, and incidents involving harm to children
• Meet guidelines relating to financial management.